


I Wouldn't Be on this Adventure with Anyone Else

by icedragon822



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Motherhood, No Angst, Parents Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2019-05-04 21:13:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 51
Words: 108,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14601837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icedragon822/pseuds/icedragon822
Summary: Kara and Lena have been married for a few years and decide to expand their family. This story chronicles the life of the Luthor-Danvers family as Kara and Lena embark on the journey of motherhood together. Will probably have some background chapters about their relationship added, too.





	1. I'm So Glad I Get to Go on This Adventure with You

**Author's Note:**

> The basis of this story came from my Avalance fic, You're My Greatest Adventure. I have a couple of chapters featuring Supercorp- their wedding, and Sara coming to visit after their daughter was born. I enjoyed writing those chapters and decided to expand on it. As a background, Kara and Lena started dating after they put aside their anger and hurt and realized their feelings for each other. Lena proposed a year later, and they got married. They waited a couple of years before trying for a family. 
> 
> https://www.decoist.com/2014-11-10/gray-nursery-ideas/posh-nursery-in-white-and-gray/  
> Here's the picture that inspired Allie's nursery!
> 
> TW for Chapter 1: Miscarriage (not graphic)

Being pregnant was one of the hardest things that Lena had ever done. She’d heard so many stories about how being pregnant was such a beautiful and wonderful time, where the expectant mother glowed from within and felt nothing but joy and expectation for the birth of her child. It was anything but beautiful for Lena. She was violently ill from the second her body registered that it was growing another human being until well into her fifth month. It got so bad that she actually lost weight for the first few months, and she even had to be hospitalized twice to get IV fluids because she was so dehydrated. She was also tired ALL THE TIME. She went from working 12-13 hour days to 6-7 hour days, which put her in a foul mood because she was getting SO much less done than she wanted (although Kara loved the extra time at home with her wife). Her head ached, her breasts swelled, her feet were sore, and even though she was gaining weight at a healthy rate after the first few months of sickness, she still felt like she had a planet strapped to her middle. The baby was highly active and apparently liked nothing better than kicking Lena in the ribs and bladder all day, which was about as pleasant to experience as it sounds. She’d taken to calling the baby “the parasite” in her head because she felt like the little bugger did nothing but sap her energy, nutrients, and vitality. However, as unpleasant as it was for her, she had no regrets about the pregnancy, because she and Kara had fought so, so hard for this baby. 

Their first three attempts to conceive hadn’t worked. They used the same method that Sara Lance and her wife, Ava, had used to conceive both of their daughters, and that Alex and Jess had used to conceive their daughter, Hannah. Using a variety of Daxamite and Kryptonian writings and methods, Alex had determined how to combine the DNA of one parent with the egg or sperm of the other, meaning that two women or two men could conceive a child without the use of a sperm or egg donor (although men still needed to use a surrogate to carry the child). Ava and Jess had both conceived on their first try.

Lena hadn’t necessarily expected to get pregnant on the first try- even for those getting pregnant in the traditional way, it often took months or even years for it to work. But she would never forget the deep sense of disappointment that she felt after the third time that she had to look at the set of pregnancy tests on her bathroom counter that read “not pregnant.” She had turned her head away, trying to hide her tears from Kara, and said “I’m sorry,” over and over. Kara wanted to be a mom so, so badly. She LOVED kids. She was Hannah’s playmate and best friend, and whenever Lena saw the two of them playing dress up together, cuddling together, or giggling together, she imagined what Kara would be like with their own daughter. While she had many doubts about her own parenting abilities, she knew that Kara would be the absolute best mother.

But sweet, wonderful, beautiful Kara, who Lena still sometimes didn’t think she deserved, simply came over and wrapped her arms around Lena. “Hey,” she whispered softly. “Look at me, Lee.”

Lena glanced up at her wife. Kara wore a soft smile. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about. It’s not your fault. Sometimes it just takes a while for it to work.”

“What are we going to do?” Lena asked in a small voice.

“We’ll try again. We can wait as long as you want before we do. And hopefully next time will be successful. And if not, we can talk about other options, like fostering or adoption. This isn’t the end of the road for us. It’s just the beginning.”

They did try again, two months later, and the fourth try worked. The look on Kara’s face when she saw the “pregnant” tests was one of pure excitement and joy, a look that Lena hoped that she would never forget. But that joy and excitement was fleeting; two weeks after finding out she was pregnant, Lena woke up to bleeding and cramping. The doctor confirmed what she already feared- she had lost the baby. That night was easily one of the worst in Lena’s life. She lay in their bed, curled around herself, sobbing quietly. Kara never left her side, and wrapped her arms around her wife, placing soft kisses on her shoulder, whispering comforting words in her ear, telling her that no matter what, she loved her so much, and nothing could ever, ever change that. 

The following months were a dark period in Lena’s life. She was disappointed, depressed, and despondent. She started seeing a therapist to talk through her feelings, and she and Kara spent nights in bed, talking about the love they had for their baby in the two weeks that they knew she existed (SHE- because Kara and Lena were both women, any child they conceived would be a girl), the hopes and dreams they had for her. With time, and healing, and the love and acceptance of her wife, nine months after losing the baby, Lena was ready to try one more time. And this try worked. 

The one positive aspect of the pregnancy was seeing Kara’s reaction to it. She was incredibly loving and supportive throughout the entire pregnancy. She held Lena’s hair back and washed her face with a cool rag when she was sick, and stayed with her in the hospital when she needed to get fluids. She rubbed Lena’s feet when they were sore, and she helped her put on her shoes when her belly got too big for her to reach down. She was always affirming of Lena’s changing body. She marveled at Lena’s growing belly, called her stretch marks “tiger stripes,” and loved to nuzzle at Lena’s larger breasts. When Lena placed Kara’s hand on her stomach so that she could feel the tiny kicks, Kara unashamedly began to cry. Every morning when they woke up, Kara placed a kiss on Lena’s bump and said, “I love you” to the baby. She read the baby books when they lay in bed at night, and spoke to her in Kryptonese (they had already decided to raise their daughter to be bilingual), and told her multiple times throughout the day how much she loved her, and how excited she was to meet her. 

**

It was two weeks away from the expected due date, so the baby could come at any time. 

Everything was ready for the baby’s arrival. The nursery was set up and painted. Kara had let Lena take the reigns on the nursery. It was a modern concept with a white and gray theme, but was still cozy and inviting. The baby already had an impressive collection of books and stuffed animals, with Kara’s favorite being a large stuffed bunny with long, floppy ears that she’d named “Flopsy,” after the character in Peter Rabbit. Lena had picked out a comfortable gray rocking chair that sat in the corner. She and Kara had a small white bassinet in their room that the baby would sleep in for the first few months, and they also had a matching rocking chair to the one in the nursery for the late-night feedings that were ahead. They’d stocked up on diapers, and had a Mamaroo, a Diaper Genie, a baby carrier and wraps, and a top-of-the line stroller ready to use. Her closet and dresser were full of clothes of all sizes, because Kara went a little crazy when confronted with baby clothes (“Oh my gosh Lena! This dress! She HAS to have it!”). The hospital bag was packed and ready to go, although Lena was still trying to convince Kara that she wouldn’t need to be flown to the hospital when the time came, and that a normal car ride would be sufficient. Lena had even put their daughter’s name down for a Chinese immersion preschool, ensuring her a place on the two-year waiting list. 

They’d known from the beginning what her name was going to be: Alura Alexandra Luthor-Danvers. Alura was for Kara’s mother, and Alexandra was of course for Alex, who cried when they told her they wanted to name their daughter after her. They planned on calling her Allie. Kara already had a whole list of nicknames for her- Allie Cat, Bean, Bug, Allie Bear, Peanut. “The poor kid’s going to have no clue what her real name is,” Lena said, making Kara giggle. 

Lena was in bed reading when she heard the swish of a cape and boots touching the ground as her wife landed on the balcony of their apartment. Kara had been out for a few hours on Supergirl duty. She didn’t have many more nights where she needed to be Supergirl. Lena insisted that she get three months of maternity leave after Allie was born. “National City survived all these years without Supergirl. I think it’ll be okay for three months.”

“Hi, love,” Kara said as she came into their bedroom, leaning down to give Lena a kiss. “And hi to my little love,” she said, bending down to place a kiss on the bump. She paused for a moment, listening to the baby’s heartbeat.

“How’s she doing in there?” Lena asked. 

Kara smiled. “Snug as a bug in a rug. Doesn’t look like she wants to be going anywhere any time soon.”

“Damn,” Lena muttered. She was way past the uncomfortable stage of her pregnancy, and well into the “get this thing out of me NOW” stage. 

Kara stripped off her suit, threw her bra into the dirty clothes hamper in the closet, changed into well-worn pajamas, and brushed her teeth before climbing in bed next to Lena. She gave Lena another kiss and stretched out next her, placing her hand protectively on Lena’s stomach. 

“How are you feeling?”

“Like a beached whale,” Lena said. “I’m big, I’m hot, and I can’t get comfortable. And Little Miss keeps trying to lodge her feet up into my ribs so I have to nudge her to get her to stop.”

“Awwww, Allie Cat! Are you giving Mommy a hard time?” Kara said, placing another kiss on Lena’s stomach. They’d decided that Lena would be “Mommy,” and that Kara would be “Mama." Kara stroked Lena’s stomach. “I hope she looks like you.”

“I hope she looks like YOU,” Lena said. If the 3D images they’d had made the week before were any indication, Allie was going to be VERY cute. She had chubby cheeks and full, pouty lips. Lena knew that she and Kara were going to have trouble resisting that pout someday. But other than that, they couldn’t tell which of them she would look like. Kara hoped she’d be brown haired and green-eyed, while Lena hoped for a blonde haired, blue-eyed baby. 

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Kara said. 

“I can’t either,” Lena replied. “I’m half excited to meet her, half terrified out of my mind.”

A concerned look crossed Kara’s face. “Terrified about what? Labor?”

“Labor’s scary enough in itself, but I figure that it’ll be over soon enough. I’m scared about the REAL hard part. About whether or not I’ll be a good mother. My real mother must have been decent, but I hardly remember her. And Lillian was… pretty much the worst example of what a mother should be. She never showed me any type of love, affection, or validation. I’m just scared that I won’t be able to give any of that to Allie.”

Kara reached out to brush a lock of Lena’s hair behind her ear. “Lee, you are going to be a phenomenal mother. Just the fact that you’re concerned about this is a sign of that. Think about it- would Lillian even be bothered about whether or not she would be able to give her child love? NO. And I know you. You have so, so much love to give to people around you. I see it in the way you give it to me, and to Alex, and to Jess and Hannah and all our friends. You are a wonderful person Lena, and you are going to be the absolute best mommy in the world. Allie is so lucky that she gets to have you as her mom.”

Lena felt tears slip out of her eyes. “I don’t even know what to say…”

Kara gave her a reassuring smile and wiped the tears with the pad of her thumb. “You don’t have to say anything. It’s all going to be ok. If you want to know a secret, I’m actually kind of terrified, too.”

Lena smiled. “I didn’t think Supergirl was terrified of anything.”

Kara laughed. “Supergirl’s terrified of a lot of things.” Her face grew serious again. “But I’m more scared of this than I have been of anything in a while. I’m so nervous that I’m going to hurt her. I try to control my strength but… she’s just a baby. She’s so delicate and precious. If I hurt her in any way, I don’t think I’d ever forgive myself.” Allie was half-Kryptonian, but Alex hypothesized that for the first 12 or 13 years of her life, she was going to be a normal human child. That meant she was susceptible to bruises, and broken bones, and any number of injuries and maladies that humans faced. 

Lena reached out and stroked the hand that rested on her belly. “I know that must be really frightening for you to think about. But look at how gentle you are with me, and how gentle you were with Hannah when she was a baby. The safest place in the world for her is going to be your arms.”

Kara gave Lena a slightly unsure smile. “I hope so. But you know what? I wouldn’t want to be a terrified first-time mom with anyone but you. We’re in this together. Always have been, always will be.”

Lena turned to give Kara a soft kiss on the lips. “I think we’re probably much better cut out for this motherhood thing than we give ourselves credit for. We’ll just have to learn together.” She yawned. “I don’t know about you, but THIS mama wants to get a full night of sleep while she still can.”

Kara laughed. “Enjoy it while it lasts!”

Lena kissed her wife again. “I love you. SO much. I’m so glad that I get to go on this adventure with you. I wouldn’t do it with anyone else.”


	2. The Start of the Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara's daughter Allie enters the world.

Four days after her due date, Lena woke up at 4:00 in the morning to a feeling of tight pain across her stomach. She’d been having Braxton Hicks contractions on and off for months, but this felt different. The Braxton Hicks had been slightly uncomfortable, but this feeling bordered on painful, and reminded her of the intense cramping she got on the worst days of her period. The feeling lasted for a minute before easing. 

Lena sat up in bed and waited until two more contractions followed, ten minutes apart, before waking her wife. Kara was fast asleep on her side and oblivious to the situation. 

Lena touched her shoulder softly and ran her other hand through Kara’s hair in an attempt not to startle her. “Darling? Can you wake up for me a little?”

Kara rolled over and blinked her eyes sleepily. “Wha? Wha’s wrong?” When she saw Lena sitting up with her hand on her stomach, she shot up. “Is it the baby? It’s the baby, isn’t it? Is she okay? Are you okay? What do we need to do?” 

Lena gave her a reassuring smile. “Both of us are okay. I’ve just had a couple of contractions. They lasted about a minute and they’re around 10 to 12 minutes apart.”

“Did your water break?”

“No, not yet,” Lena said. 

“Do you think we should go to the hospital now?” There was a running argument between Lena and Alex about whether Lena should have the baby at the DEO or the hospital. Alex wanted the DEO because the baby was half-alien; Lena wanted the hospital because her obstetrician was the best in the country. Lena won out with the provision that the doctor sign an EXTREMELY detailed non-disclosure agreement. 

Lena shook her head. “I don’t think so. Dr. Peltz said to come in when the contractions are 3 to 4 minutes apart. I think we’ve got a few hours left before we need to head out.” She hissed through her teeth as another contraction started, this time stretching through to her lower back. 

Kara reached out to rub Lena’s back gently. “I’m sorry, sweetie. Is it really painful?”

“A little bit, but not too horrible. Right now they feel like really bad period cramps.” 

Kara leaned forward to give Lena a kiss. “What can I do to help?”

Lena squeezed Kara’s hand. “Try to get a little more sleep? I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day,” she said with a slight laugh. 

Kara giggled. “I don’t think I can sleep anymore. I’m too nervous. And excited. Mostly excited.”

Lena wanted to keep talking to distract herself from the contractions. “What are you most excited about?”

Kara smiled. “What am I NOT excited about? Gosh… Holding her. If you think about it, you’ve gotten to hold her for the past nine months and I’m only A LOT jealous of that.” She gave Lena a playful nudge. “I’m excited to finally see what she looks like. I’m even excited for the gross stuff, like changing diapers and getting spit up on. I’m just excited to be a mom, and to love her.” Kara’s voice choked up. “We’re really having a baby today.”

Lena smiled and rubbed Kara’s arm. “We’re really having a baby today. At least, I hope it’s today. It might stretch on into tomorrow. But either way, we’re having a baby!”

“We’re finally going to be moms.”

“We are.” Lena leaned forward to kiss Kara. “I guess today’s the day that everything changes.”

“But in the best way ever,” Kara replied. 

Kara and Lena stayed in bed for another hour, talking about the hopes and dreams they had for their daughter. Whenever Lena had a contraction, Kara rubbed her back and whispered to her, telling her how strong she was, and how proud of her she was. 

“Can you help me up?” Lena asked. “I think I need to go to the bathroom.” By this stage in her pregnancy, Lena had gotten over all her shyness about talking about bodily functions or asking her wife for help. “I think I’m a walking bodily function by now,” she said the week before.

Kara walked to the other side of the bed and put her hand behind Lena’s back to gently guide her up. However, when Lena stood up, she let out a quiet and slightly embarrassed “Uh oh.”

“Uh oh? Why uh oh?”

“God, this is embarrassing… I think I might have peed on myself.” Pregnancy and motherhood was turning out to be the least glamorous thing Lena could ever imagine.

“That’s okay!” Kara said. “It’s totally normal, nothing to be embarrassed about. I’ll go get some paper towels to wipe it up.” 

Lena looked down at the liquid running down her leg. “Oh.”

“Oh?”

Kara looked down too. The liquid was reddish, tinged with blood. 

“I don’t think I peed on myself. I think my water just broke.”

“OH.” Kara’s eyes widened. “I, um, think we need to go to the hospital now.”

“Yeah,” Lena said, seemingly a bit in shock. She knew she was in labor from the contractions, but somehow her water breaking made the whole situation strikingly real. 

Kara pulled herself out of it first. “Okay… I’ll put all the bags in the car.” Kara, who had never driven a car before in her life (after all, why drive when you could fly?), had gotten her license and taken driving lessons specifically so she’d be able to take Lena to the hospital. If she couldn’t fly her there, this was the next best thing. 

Lena snapped to attention. “Great. I’m going to get a quick shower and then I think we’ll be good to go.”

Kara let out a nervous giggle. “Let’s go have a baby.”

Lena giggled back. “Let’s go have a baby.”

**

Lena and Kara were in the hospital for 12 hours before it was actually time to deliver the baby. 

Kara drove to the hospital like she’d been doing it for far longer than the four months she actually had (she put it down to having an above-average reaction time). Kara called Alex and Eliza to let them know that the baby was on its way. Eliza was coming down from Midvale for a week to help with cooking, cleaning, and running errands so that the new mothers would have a chance to take care of Allie, bond with her, and get some much-needed rest. 

Laboring was difficult, but Lena handled it amazingly. The contractions grew more intense over time, but with Kara standing behind her with her arms wrapped lightly around her, whispering comforting words in her ear and swaying with her gently, Lena was able to breathe through each one. 

When it came time to push, they were moved into a delivery room. Pushing was by far the most difficult part of labor. Lena was exhausted and in pain, and 55 minutes into pushing was the only time that she faltered. She started crying.

“I can’t do it anymore, Kara, I can’t do this. I’m so tired and it hurts so much.”

Kara leaned forward and wiped Lena’s tears with the pads of her thumbs. “I know it hurts, baby. You’re doing so well. You’re so strong and so brave. But you CAN do this. We’re so close to meeting her. Think of Allie. Think of holding her and kissing her and telling her you love her. You can do this.”

Dr. Peltz, the obstetrician, called out from between Lena’s legs. “One more big push, Lena, then you’ll get to meet your girl.”

“I can see her head!” Kara said, her voice filled with emotion. “She’s got dark hair, Lee, just like you. One more push, one more big push and she’s here.”

Lena cried. She couldn’t do it- she was too tired, and in too much pain. But her body took over, and she felt the urge to push, so despite the pain, and her fear, she pushed. She unashamedly screamed through the push, with Kara beside her, holding her hand and encouraging her the entire time.

“You’ve got this baby. Keep going, keep going, she’s almost here…”

Lena felt like she was being torn open. She screamed harder, and barely noticed a blanket being draped over her so that they could place the baby on her chest. 

She heard a nurse say, “Look down, look down at your daughter,” and despite the tears and the pain, she opened her eyes, and she saw the most wonderful thing she had ever seen: Alura Alexandra Luthor-Danvers.

Lena almost felt like she was in a daze as Allie was placed on her chest. The one thing she noticed was that she was quiet; the baby hadn’t begun to cry yet. 

“She’s quiet… she’s too quiet. Is she okay?” Lena asked breathily. One of the nurses had begun vigorously rubbing her with a blanket while another suctioned fluid out of her mouth. Suddenly, a shrill cry pierced the air, and an immense sense of relief rushed through Lena. She heard Kara beside her, crying in joy when she heard Allie.

“She’s perfectly fine,” the nurse said. “Sometimes coming out is just a shock to the system. They need a little prompting to get things started. Congratulations!”

Lena finally got a good look at her daughter. Her first thought was that she was the most beautiful thing Lena had ever seen. She didn’t have much hair, but the little hair she did have was dark. It was impossible to tell what color eyes she had, as her eyes were scrunched shut, but she had the chubby cheeks and full lips that they’d seen in the 3-D imaging, as well as Kara’s nose and ears. Lena softly stroked her hand across Allie’s back, which was so small that her hand covered the entire span of it. 

Kara had knelt down to be eye level with the baby. “Hi Allie!” she said quietly. “Hi baby girl! Mommy and I have been waiting so long to meet you. We love you so much and we’re so glad you’re here.” She leaned forward to give Lena a quick kiss on the lips. “She looks just like you, Lena. She’s so perfect and I love her so much already.”

“I love her so much, too,” Lena said, emotion clouding her voice. “I can’t believe she’s here.”

Kara cut the umbilical cord, and some of the nurses took Allie to weigh her, measure her height, clean her, and run general tests. 

Lena still had to deliver the placenta. She looked at Kara. “Can you go be with Allie, make sure she’s ok?”

“Definitely,” Kara said, leaning forward to kiss Lena. “I’m so proud of you. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Lena said.

Kara walked over to where they were weighing the baby. Allie cried earnestly; she was obviously NOT happy about being taking from the warm comfort of the womb.

“7 pounds 6 ounces!” The nurse called out. “And 20 inches long. You’ve got a good-sized girl, there!”

Kara moved beside her daughter and reached out to stroke her hand, marveling at the tiny, perfect fingernails and the little creases in her palms. Allie closed her hand around Kara’s finger, and Kara felt her heart contract and then expand. Allie had only been in the world for a few minutes, but along with Lena, she was already Kara’s whole world. 

Kara leaned down and spoke quietly to her daughter, who was still crying. “I know, baby girl. You were all nice and cozy in there and then you had to come into this loud, cold world. But you’re okay. Mama’s here and I love you so much. And Mommy’s here too, and she loves you so much.” At the sound of Kara’s voice, Allie’s cries quieted to snuffling whimpers. Kara reached out to stroke the dark hair on her head, and quietly sang “You are My Sunshine” to her, one of the few Earth lullabies that she knew. When she finished singing, she continued to speak to Allie quietly, telling her over and over and over again how much she loved her.

After a few minutes, a nurse came and put Allie in a diaper, then placed a tiny hat on Allie’s head. She turned to Kara. “Your wife’s delivered the placenta. She had some tearing so Dr. Peltz stitched her up, but she’s doing great. We’re going to take the baby over so they can do some skin-to-skin.”

“Oh, that’s fantastic,” Kara said. 

The nurse picked Allie up and carried her over to Lena. Lena’s hospital gown had been opened, and they placed the baby directly on her chest, tummy to tummy, before covering both of them with a blanket. Allie, still giving off slightly snuffly whimpers, nestled her head against the top of Lena’s breast. Lena leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her head, and lightly stroked her back over the blanket. She was totally, completely, irreplaceably in love.

“We’d like to have you doing skin-to-skin for an hour or two,” the nurse said. “It’ll keep her warm, and it’s a wonderful bonding experience for the two of you. She’ll probably get hungry in the next couple of hours, and we’ll send a lactation consultant in to help you feed her.”

“How will we know she’s hungry?” Kara asked.

The nurse gave a knowing smile. “Oh, you’ll know. There’s nothing quite like the cry of a hungry baby. Give us a call when you hear it.” They wheeled the bed back into Lena’s hospital room. 

Lena and Allie were both able to take a well-deserved nap, with Allie snug and safe against her mother’s chest. Kara didn’t sleep, but instead sat in a chair beside the bed and watched her wife and daughter with pure adoration. She didn’t think she could love Lena more, but she discovered that seeing Lena with their baby brought a whole new level of love with it. 

Within an hour and a half Allie was awake and sure enough, it was very obvious that she was hungry (the nurse was right- there was no mistaking that cry). The lactation consultant helped Lena breastfeed her, and it actually went much smoother than either Lena or Kara had anticipated. Allie took to it like a pro, and though it wasn’t easy, Lena seemed to have a good grasp of what she needed to do to feed the baby.

With a full tummy, Allie fell into a total milk coma, and Kara was able to hold her for a while. Kara took off her shirt so that she could also have some skin-to-skin time with her daughter. A nurse helped her drape a blanket across them to keep the baby warm, and Kara relished the feeling of her baby against her chest. Allie nuzzled into the top of her breasts (which, it turned out, made a great baby pillow), and Kara leaned forward to place a kiss on her head and smell her perfect baby scent. “I love you so much,” she whispered, then repeated the phrase in Kryptonese. 

She held Allie for a while, totally in awe of her daughter. She heard a slight clicking sound and turned to see Lena taking a picture of them with her phone.

“I thought you were asleep!” Kara said.

“And miss this? Never.” Lena smiled. “My two absolute favorite people in the world, together. This is officially my favorite view. Ever.”

Kara smiled. “I’ve been waiting so long for this. I'm finally a mom. I've wanted to be a mom since before I could remember, even on Krypton.”

Lena's heart fluttered at that statement.“I've known you'd be a great mom for as long as I've known you, even before we were together. Having kids wasn't always part of my plan, but now that she's here I couldn't imagine not having her. I'm just so glad that she’s finally here.”

“Me too,” Kara said. “I can’t wait to watch her grow up, and to get to know her.”

Lena couldn’t help the few tears that came out of her eyes. “I can’t wait to start this adventure with both of you. I have a feeling that it’s going to be a great one.”


	3. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena bring Allie home from the hospital, and introduce her to the rest of the family.

In the first few days of Allie’s life, Kara and Lena learned far more than they ever expected they would.

The first thing they learned was that their daughter HATED clothes. 

Lena and Allie were cleared to go home from the hospital the day after she was born. Alex was going to drive the new family home in Lena’s Range Rover, because she didn’t quite trust Kara to drive when the baby was in the car (Kara pretended to be VERY offended at first, but later conceded that Alex was probably right). Eliza was going to be in the front with Alex, and Lena and Kara would be in the back with Allie. 

Kara was in the bathroom with Lena, helping her put on yoga pants and a loose tank top (this was the only time in Kara’s memory where Lena didn’t care that she was dressed down in public). They could hear Allie’s loud cries from in the bathroom.

“What’s gotten into her?” Lena asked. “She was perfectly fine five minutes ago. I just fed her and she has a clean diaper. What does she have to be so upset about?”

Kara made her way back into the room and saw Eliza dressing Allie into the outfit that Lena and Kara had picked out for her to wear home. It was a simple outfit- a pink and white onesie with long sleeves that covered her hands and matching pink pants. But Allie was obviously having NONE of it. She was crying earnestly, her face as red as a tiny tomato, and her little feet were curled up against her stomach as if in protest of the whole situation.

“Awwwwww, Peanut! Do you not like your outfit?” Kara said.

Alex, who was sitting in the bedside chair, laughed. “That’s an understatement. She HATES her outfit!”

Kara moved over to Allie and gently picked her up and cradled her against her chest, slightly swaying with her and placing kisses on her head. After a few seconds of being rocked, Allie’s cries turned into annoyed little huffs. 

That was the second thing that they’d learned about her- she loved movement. Rocking, swaying, bouncing… if she was upset, nothing calmed her quite like moving around. Lena jokingly said it was her Kryptonian side coming out, and Kara agreed with her. 

“See? That’s not so bad, is it?” Kara said, still rocking Allie back and forth. “You just got all upset over nothing.” She placed another kiss on her daughter’s head, then looked up to see Eliza and Alex smiling at her. “What?”

“Just enjoying watching you be a mom,” Eliza said. “You’re such a natural.”

Kara smiled back. “I don’t know that I’m a NATURAL.”

“You are, trust me,” Lena said, waddling out of the bathroom. She was still incredibly sore from labor, and walking was still a bit of an ordeal for her. “Me, on the other hand… I think I have some work to do.” She came over beside Kara and placed a kiss on Allie’s temple and ran her finger gently over her downy hair, still in awe of the beautiful baby that she and Kara had created.

“No you don’t!” Kara said with enthusiasm. “You’re wonderful with her. She’s a lucky little girl to have you as her mommy.”

Lena smiled. “You think so?”

Kara nodded. “Absolutely.”

Alex stood up from her chair. “All ready to go, family?”

“Yep. You ready, Lee?” Kara asked.

“I’m ready. I can’t wait to get our girl home.”

Kara strapped Allie into her car seat (the most expensive one on the market, as Lena would have nothing less). Kara had been practicing for weeks strapping a doll into the carrier, but was still nervous that she would get something wrong. Luckily, everything went smoothly, and while she seemed to dislike being dressed, Allie seemed content to be in the car seat, and promptly fell asleep. Kara carried Allie, Alex and Eliza carried their bags, and Lena was wheeled out in a wheelchair with a bouquet of flowers on her lap from Alex, Jess, and Hannah. Jess was bringing Hannah over in the afternoon to meet her new cousin, and Alex said she was so excited that she hadn’t been talking about anything else for two days.

When they got into the apartment (a penthouse on the top floor of a building Lena owned), Kara set the carrier on the ground and gently picked Allie up and cradled her in her arms. The baby made a tiny squawk at being moved, but otherwise remained fast asleep. The fact that she was sleeping made no difference to Kara, who proceeded to take her on a tour of her new home. 

“This is your room,” she said when she brought Allie into the nursery. “You’ll be sleeping in here when you get a little bigger. There are so many toys for you to play with and books for you to read. There’s a rocking chair that Mommy and I will rock you to sleep in at night, and soooooooo many clothes for you to wear in your closet. This will be your special place, where you’ll feel most comfortable.”

She then brought her into the master bedroom. “This is Mommy and Mama’s room. You’ll be in here with us for a little while.” She took Allie to the bassinet that stood arm’s reach from the bed. “This is where you’ll sleep. It’s nice and cozy and soft, see? And this is our bed. We’ll all snuggle together here. It’ll be our special place as a family.”

When Kara’s tour was over, she brought the baby back into the living room. Lena had settled in on the couch, Alex in a chair, and Eliza was in the kitchen, looking through the refrigerator to get dinner started. Kara walked over to her wife.

“Here, let’s let Mommy take over for a while.”

Kara gently transferred Allie to Lena’s arms. She didn’t think she would ever get over the feeling that she had whenever she saw Lena with their daughter. The wonder and love in Lena’s face as she looked down at Allie was enough to make Kara’s heart explode with joy. Lena bent down to place a kiss on Allie’s tiny nose, and let out a soft laugh when Allie scrunched up her face at the contact. 

Lena turned back to Kara. “I don’t want her to get cold. Can you get her blanket for me?”

Kara walked over to the bag that they’d brought from the hospital. She grabbed a soft muslin swaddling blanket with pink pastel flowers on it and brought it over to Lena. Lena spread the blanket on the couch and gently wrapped Allie with it in the way the nurses had taught them in the hospital.

That was the third thing they’d learned about her- she LOVED to be swaddled. Warm and cozy in her blanket, and safe in her mother’s arms, Allie continued to sleep peacefully. Alex and Eliza made dinner, with Kara flitting over to sneak bites of food from time to time. Lena was able to nap a little herself before Allie woke up crying, ready to be fed. Kara grabbed a nursing pillow from the hospital bag and helped Lena get Allie settled on it and in the correct position for feeding. As Lena fed the baby, she stroked her head softly and looked down at her with an expression of deep, unconditional love. Kara sat beside them on the couch and watched them with a loving, goofy smile. She didn’t think she could be any happier than she was at that moment.

Eliza paused from making dinner to look at Kara, Lena, and Allie. She glanced beside her and saw Alex looking at them, too.

“They look so happy together,” Alex said.

“It’s all I ever wanted for you two,” Eliza said with a smile. “To have happy, loving families of your own. It took a little while, but both of you got exactly that. I couldn’t be happier for both of you.”

“I didn’t think it would happen for me, but it did. Jess and Hannah are the best things in my life. I’m so glad that Kara and Lena get to have that, too. They’ve both been alone for so long. And they tried so hard for this baby, and now that she’s here, seeing the three of them together… it’s so wonderful isn’t it?” 

“It really is,” Eliza said, giving her eldest daughter a quick hug.

They looked back over at the new mothers. Lena had placed Allie over her shoulder and was gently patting her back, and Lena and Kara both started to giggle when she let out a tiny burp.

“Good job, Allie Cat!” Kara said, giving her a kiss on the head. 

Lena switched Allie to eat on the other side. 

“You two are doing so good with this,” Kara said.

“We’re working at it,” Lena said. “She’s taking to it better than I thought she would. And I’m enjoying it much more than I thought I would.” In truth, breastfeeding had been one of the parts Lena was least looking forward to about motherhood. She thought it would turn her into little more than a glorified cow, but she found that she enjoyed the quiet bonding time that it created between her and her baby. When Allie was 3 or 4 weeks old they were going to introduce her to a bottle so that Kara could help out with some of the feedings, too. 

When Allie finished eating, she was burped again, and then was ready for a diaper change. Kara took her in the nursery to change her diaper and put her in a fresh change of clothes. She brought her back out five minutes later, and saw that Jess and Hannah had arrived for dinner.

Alex and Jess had gotten together even before Lena and Kara had. It was a pairing that no one had seen coming. They met at Lena’s Christmas party the year after Alex and Maggie had broken up. Neither of them knew many people at the party and found themselves sitting next to each other, and struck up a conversation. By the end of the night they had already scheduled a coffee date, and the rest was history. They got married the year after they started dating, and had Hannah a year after that. Jess had been promoted to a VP position at L Corp, and was still Lena’s right hand woman in all things.

Hannah was four, and was absolutely thrilled to finally have a cousin. Jess had to hold her back from running and pouncing on Kara and the baby when they got back to the living room. “Wait a minute, Han! You need to be careful.”

Alex walked over to her wife and daughter, picked Hannah up, and carried her over to Kara. 

“This is Allie,” she said. “Remember, you need to be very quiet and gentle around her.”

Hannah peered closely at the baby. Kara smiled at her. “You can hold her hand if you want to, Hannah.”

She touched Allie’s hand with her finger and giggled when Allie grabbed on to it. 

“That’s how she’s saying hey to you,” Kara said. “Want to give her a kiss?”

Hannah leaned forward to place a kiss on Allie’s forehead. Allie’s face puckered up adorably, and all three of them giggled at that. 

“Her hands are so little,” Hannah said. “All of her is so little.”

“She’s little right now, but she’s going to grow big, just like you,” Alex said. 

“Can she play princess with me?” Hannah asked. “Princess” was her favorite game. It was amusing that Alex, who had always been a tomboy, had a daughter who loved ballet, princesses, and all things pink. But Hannah was no damsel in distress; in her version of “Princess,” the Princess was ALWAYS the one who saved the day.

“She’s too little to play Princess right now,” Kara said. “But I’m sure when she gets a little older she’ll LOVE playing Princess with you. But you and me can play after dinner if you want to.”

“Yeah!” Hannah said enthusiastically.

The family ate dinner together at Lena and Kara’s dining room table. Allie was awake and alert, and the adults passed her back and forth. 

“I think she’s going to have blue eyes,” Jess said. 

“I think so, too,” Lena replied. “I’m happy about that- I was hoping she’d get Kara’s eyes.”

“I wanted her to get YOUR eyes,” Kara said. “But she got your hair, so I’m happy about that. Either way, she’s pretty perfect!”

After dinner Alex and Jess volunteered to do dishes, while Lena took Allie to the nursery to feed her and Kara sat on the floor and played with Hannah. Hannah the Princess rescued Kara from a dangerous dragon. After Allie was fed and asleep, and the meal was cleaned, Alex and Kara sat on the couch together and read a story to their daughters. Hannah, who was growing tired, snuggled up on Alex’s lap, while Allie slept deeply against Kara’s shoulder. 

Lena and Jess both took pictures of the sweet scene. Lena looked over to Eliza and saw her watching her daughters and granddaughters with tears in her eyes. Eliza looked over at Lena with an emotional smile.

“My girls with their girls. It seems like yesterday that Alex was Allie’s size, and that Kara was a scared girl who was all alone on Earth. But look at them now. They both have successful careers, have married wonderful women”- she put her arms around both Lena and Jess and gave them a squeeze- “and now they have daughters of their own to make memories with. It’s all I’ve ever dreamed of for them.”

Jess smiled. “We’re all pretty lucky, aren’t we?”

“We are,” Lena agreed.

After Alex, Jess, and Hannah left, and Eliza went to sleep in the guest room, Lena and Kara got ready for their first night at home with their daughter. Lena was feeding Allie in their bed, with Kara stretched out beside her. 

“I didn’t think I could love someone as much as I love you, but she definitely takes the cake,” Kara said, stroking Allie’s head softly. “How could the two of us have created something so perfect?”

Lena smiled. “I mean, half of her DNA comes from you- no wonder she’s pretty perfect!”

“You know, I was just thinking the same thing, except I was thinking that it was because half of her DNA came from YOU,” Kara said, carefully leaning over to kiss Lena without disturbing the baby. 

Allie was making adorable little grunts as she ate.

“I’m pretty sure she got YOUR appetite,” Lena said. “Look how much she’s enjoying her meal.”

“Yep,” Kara said with a giggle. “Looks like she also got my healthy appreciation for your boobs.”

Lena rolled her eyes, but she kept a smile on her face as she did it.

Kara leaned against Lena’s shoulder and watched her daughter as she ate. 

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?” Lena asked.

“For loving me, and for giving me a family. I didn’t have a family for so long, and I thought I never would. But now I have you two, and you give me so much joy that I think my heart can burst.”

“I love you so much, Kara,” Lena said. “You have so much love to give the world, and I’m so thankful that Allie and I get to feel that love.”

Kara kissed her again. “Life’s been tough for both of us. And it’s not always going to be easy. But now that I have both of you, I think I’m pretty prepared for whatever life decides to throw at me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking that next chapter is when Allie meets J'onn, Winn, and James!


	4. Supermoms?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara gives Lena a break, and James and Winn come to meet the baby.

Kara woke up to the now-familiar sound of her daughter crying. Allie’s cry was immediately followed by the also-familiar sound of Lena groaning. She’d been up with her only an hour and a half earlier, and she needed to sleep some more.

Lena had been handling the early days of motherhood like a true champ. For three weeks she had been Allie’s only source of food, so she’d been getting up almost every two hours around the clock to feed her. A few days before, Lena had even handled her first bout of cluster feeding, where Allie wanted to eat non-stop for hours on end. Kara had come home from running errands to find her wife topless and in tears, with Allie attached to her breast. “An hour, I just need an hour to myself,” Lena had cried. That’s when they decided to try giving her a bottle for the first time, so that Kara could take over some of the feedings. Thankfully, Allie had taken to the bottle well. It allowed Lena to have some time to herself to sleep, read, relax, go out of the house for a bit, or look over L Corp files (because, being Lena Luthor, even maternity leave couldn’t keep her away from work for too long). Kara had been an amazing partner through the whole time- waking up with Allie in the night when she didn’t need to be fed, changing diapers, cooking dinner, rocking the baby to sleep at night.

Kara pressed a kiss to Lena’s temple. “Go back to sleep, sweetie, I’ve got her.”

She got out of bed and walked over to the bassinet that stood beside their bed. Allie was swaddled tightly, but was already trying to fight her way out of it in her distress. Kara removed Allie from her blanket, picked up her up, and kissed her on the cheek. 

“Good morning, my little baby burrito. Are you ready for breakfast?” Allie made a slight grunt as she cried. “I’m guessing that’s a ‘yes!’” Kara whispered. 

She cradled a still-crying Allie in her arms and carried her to the kitchen. “We’re gonna let Mommy sleep a little bit longer, so it’s just you and me for now.” 

She placed Allie in her Mamaroo and turned it on; the motion of the Mamaroo would calm her down enough for Kara to heat up the milk that Lena had stored in the freezer after pumping it a few days before. After thawing the milk, placing it a bottle, and warming the bottle in a bottle warmer, Kara picked Allie up from the Mamaroo and carried her to her nursery, where she sat in the rocking chair that was in the corner of the room by the window. She opened the blinds so that the morning sunlight streamed in, and settled Allie into the crook of her arm. When she offered her the bottle, Allie latched on immediately and began sucking enthusiastically with tiny little grunts. 

Kara giggled. “You’re a hungry little girl this morning, aren’t you?” she whispered. 

Kara gently rocked back and forth as Allie ate and gazed down at her lovingly. She decided that she would never be able to get over the sight of her daughter. Kara might be just a little biased, but Allie was definitely the most beautiful baby she’d ever seen. Allie was a good mix of both Lena and Kara. She and Lena had the same dark hair and face shape, including the determined, pointed chin. Allie had Kara’s nose and ears, as well as her mouth (and Kara was starting to see how Lena couldn’t resist her pout, because she knew once Allie started using it, she wouldn’t be able to resist it either). Her eyes were still the cloudy grey they had been when she was born, but they were beginning to get a blue tint to the them, and she and Lena were almost positive they were going to turn into the same bright blue as Kara’s. 

Kara had held many roles over the years: Cat Grant’s assistant, CatCo reporter, Supergirl, as well as daughter, cousin, and friend. But of all these roles, her absolute favorite (tied with being Lena Luthor’s wife) was being Allie Luthor-Danvers’s mother. She LOVED being a mom. She loved the little, everyday moments they were already experiencing: cooking breakfast for Lena with Allie nestled snuggly against her chest in a baby wrap, watching her face scrunch up when she kissed her tiny nose, gently running a washcloth over her chubby belly as she gave her a bath, rocking her gently and singing to her as she fed her. She was even enjoying the harder, more dirty moments that came with motherhood: changing diapers, wiping spit up, and throwing away one of her favorite shirts after it was the victim of an unexpected diaper blowout. She couldn’t wait to celebrate the big milestones in Allie’s life: her first birthday, her first day of kindergarten, her high school graduation, setting up her college dorm room, and watching her walk down the aisle on her wedding day. She was also excited for the little moments that were to come, both happy and sad: swim meets and soccer games, hosting sleepovers with a gaggle of giggling little girls, taking her shopping for her first bra, walking her through how to put in a tampon for the first time, letting her cry on her shoulder when her heart was broken (Kara mentally made a promise that she wouldn’t physically go after the awful person who did it, no matter how much she might want to). She might even someday teach Allie how to fly, and how to control her own powers, if she developed them. She couldn’t wait for it all. 

When Allie finished eating, Kara placed the empty bottle on the small table beside the rocking chair. She sat Allie up and gently patted her back until she elicited a tiny but mighty burp from her. Kara was amazed at how quickly she’d gotten over her fear of accidentally hurting her daughter. She was incredibly gentle with her, but she knew that Allie would always, always be safe in her arms. 

After Allie burped she immediately filled her diaper with a large and noisy poop, her face relaxing with relief as Kara jokingly plugged her nose and said “Pee-yew Allie Cat!” (seriously- how could something so gross be so cute at the same time?). Kara took her over to the changing table and put a clean diaper on her, before picking out a new onesie from the drawer. It was one of Kara’s favorites- it was white, with a bunny face printed on the front, complete with floppy ears. Kara loved it so much that she ordered it in four different sizes, and would have ordered more if Lena hadn’t said “that’s enough.” She put a pair of tiny pink leggings on her so that she wouldn’t be too cold, then brought her back over to the rocking chair. They sat back down and Kara began to slowly rock back and forth. Before she knew it, both she and Allie were fast asleep.

Kara woke up some time later when she heard a quiet voice say, “Sleeping on the job, Supergirl?”

She slowly opened her eyes and saw her wife standing in front of her holding a cup of coffee, smiling at her. She smiled back. “Well, Supergirl doesn’t usually sleep on the job, but she’s had a pretty special little girl who likes to keep her up at night.”

Kara looked down at Allie, who was starting to stir in her arms and fuss a little. “How long have we been out? She finished eating at 7 and I changed her.”

“It’s about 8:30 now,” Lena said. “Thanks for letting me sleep for a while longer- I needed it.” She took a sip of her coffee. “There’s a pot of coffee ready in the kitchen. I also toasted you a bagel. I’ll feed her while you eat.”

Kara frowned. “You didn’t have to do that, Lee! I’m supposed to be taking care of you, remember?”

Lena smiled. “We’re supposed to take care of EACH OTHER. I came in about 20 minutes ago and you two looked like you could use a little more sleep. I did manage to get a picture of you, though.” She pulled out her phone and showed Kara the picture. “I thought it was so cute that I made it my new background. My two girls.”

Kara smiled. “Can you send it to me? And to Alex, Jess, and Eliza. They’ll love it.” 

With that, Allie decided to make her presence (and her hunger) known. She left off a shrill cry. 

“Okay, okay, we know you’re hungry,” Kara said as she stood up. She carried the squalling baby to the living room. Lena sat on the couch and set her coffee cup on the table, undid her top, and then held out her arms for the baby. Kara gently placed Allie into Lena’s waiting arms, where she immediately latched on to Lena’s breast and began eating hungrily.

Kara grabbed her bagel and a cup of coffee from the kitchen, and sat down on the couch beside her wife and daughter.

Lena looked down at the baby. “Do all newborns eat this much, or is this her Kryptonian appetite coming in already?”

“According to Jess, all newborns eat this much,” Kara said as she took a bite of her bagel. “She said she felt like a walking boob for the first six months of Hannah’s life.”

“Great,” Lena said with a sigh. “I don’t know how I’m going to keep this up when I go back to work.”

“By pumping every two hours,” Kara replied. “At least, that’s what the parenting book said.” She rubbed Lena’s arm. “You’ll be fine. You’re Supermom, remember?”

“I thought Supergirl was Supermom.”

“Supergirl can’t be Supermom because Supergirl is Supergirl. Plus, as far as anyone knows, Supergirl’s not a mom. So, Lena Luthor is Supermom. Argument settled.”

Lena laughed. 

“How’s the city getting on without Supergirl, anyway.”

“I think just fine,” Kara said. “Like you said, it’s survived this long without her. It can last a few more weeks no problem. The DEO’s handling everything.” 

Supergirl’s absence from the skies of National City had been explained by her presence at an intergalactic council meeting. For the remainder of Kara’s maternity leave, J’onn had agreed to appear as Supergirl on occasion while doing nightly fly-by’s over the city, and the DEO had recruited a variety of friends, from Barry Allen to Sara Lance and the Legends to Superman himself, to fill in to help keep National City’s streets safe. Kara had insisted that if anything TOO big came up, she would be allowed to step in to help. Lena relented, but luckily nothing had called for the real Supergirl’s services. 

“Speaking of the DEO… what time are James and Winn coming today?” Lena asked.

James and Winn hadn’t met Allie yet. They both wanted to give the new mothers a chance to settle into a routine and bond with the baby before coming over to visit. Winn had been DYING to meet her. He texted Kara three times the day before letting her know how excited he was.

“11:45, I think. They said they’d bring lunch from Noonan’s.” Kara was excited about that- she hadn’t had Noonan’s in weeks. 

They spent the rest of the morning getting work and chores done. Allie took another nap in her infant swing beside Lena’s desk, which meant she would probably be alert when James and Winn came to visit. Lena caught up on some of her work, and Kara washed dishes, did a load of laundry, and straightened up the living room in preparation for James and Winn’s arrival. 

Allie woke up at 11:30, and Kara fed her a bottle on the couch while Lena worked. When Allie finished her bottle, she was alert and active, and Kara sat on the couch and propped Allie up on her bent legs. She smiled at her, kissed her hands repeatedly, and chatted animatedly to her in Kryptonese. Lena looked up from her desk to stare at her wife playing with her daughter; it was one of the sweetest things she’d ever seen. She loved seeing Kara with Allie. Kara loved her so much, and was just as amazing of a mother as Lena knew she would be. She took out her phone and covertly filmed them for her own future viewing pleasure. 

At 11:45, they heard a knock on their door.

“That’s them!” Kara said enthusiastically. She picked Allie up and carried her so that she faced outwards. When Allie was awake, she loved being carried this way, as she got to see what was going on around her. 

Kara opened the door and happily greeted her friends. “Hi guys!” 

James and Winn both had their hands full with bags of food. A huge smile grew across James’s face when he saw Kara with the baby, and Winn let out a little squeal and nearly dropped the food bags he was holding. 

“Oh my gosh! She’s beautiful!”

Allie looked at him with wide eyes. 

“Can I hold her? Please?”

Kara laughed. “You can both hold her, just sit down on the couch first. And wash your hands- Lena’s pretty particular about that.”

James and Winn set all the bags of food on the coffee table by the couch. They washed their hands and made their way to the couch. 

Winn held her first, and, no surprise, he got a little emotional. 

Wiping his eyes, he said, “She’s just the most beautiful little girl I’ve ever seen in my life. She’s so little and tiny and perfect and I just want to protect her.”

Kara laughed. “I feel the exact same way when I look at her.”

Winn touched her palm and she grabbed onto his finger. “She doesn’t have super strength yet, right? Like, she’s not going to break my finger or anything?”

Kara scoffed. “You’re scared that a three-week-old baby is going to break your finger? Wimp!”

“Hey! She’s not just any three-week-old baby. She’s a three-week-old half-Kryptonian baby! She could break my arm if she wanted to!”

Kara gave him a soft punch. “No she couldn’t. Look, how could something so cute be dangerous?” She gave Allie a big smile. “Say, ‘I’m not dangerous Uncle Winn! I’m just a cute little baby!’” She leaned forward and gave Allie a kiss on the bridge of her nose. “You don’t need to be worried, though. She doesn’t have any powers yet. She’s just a normal little baby for now!”

“I know, I know,” Winn said. “Unless you count being super cute as a superpower. I think she looks like Lena.”

“She does! I was really hoping she’d look like Lena,” Kara said.

James put down his sandwich and looked closely at the baby. “She’s got your eyes, though. Clark’s eyes, too.”

Lena, who had been quietly eating her sandwich, smiled at that. “That’s what I had hoped for most- that she’d get Kara’s eyes.” She turned to her wife. “Guess we both got our wishes.”

“Yep!” Kara said happily, leaning over the table to give her wife a kiss.

 

James held Allie after he’d finished eating (and, at Lena’s insistence, washed his hands again). He hadn’t been around babies much, so he was more awkward holding her than Winn had been, but Kara helped him hold her in a comfortable position, and Allie, awake and alert, stared at him. 

“Is she actually looking at me?” James asked. “How much can she actually see?”

“She couldn’t see much when she was born, but I think she’s able to see a little more now,” Kara said. “Look.” She grabbed a black and white rattle that was sitting on the table, and slowly passed it back and forth in front of Allie. Her eyes followed it from side to side. “They’re supposed to see black and white things the best. We have a couple of toys like this for her, and a book that’s just black and white shapes that we read to her at night.” She kissed Allie again. “You’re our little book worm, right?”

James looked at Kara and Lena. “You guys are really good at this whole mom thing.”

Lena smiled. “You think so? I feel like I’m getting through each day on a wing and a prayer, but at least I must look convincing doing it!”

“No, you’re amazing,” Winn said. “You’re like, a super mom. Maybe that can be your new collective names- the Supermoms!”

Kara groaned. “Winn, nooooo! Please don’t make this a thing!”

Of course it became “a thing,” and Kara and Lena were forever known as “Supermoms” in their friend group. Although they both groaned at the nickname, it was nice to know that their friends thought they were nailing this whole parenting thing, and that they had the confidence that they would be the best parents that they could be.


	5. I Choose You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena's early journey together, from their first meeting to their wedding day. Arguments, angst, love, and a bit of sexiness abound! The wedding scene is amended from a chapter in my Avalance fic.

Kara remembered the first time that she had met Lena Luthor. She and Clark had gone to meet with Lena at Luthor Corp following the explosion of the Venture shuttle, to see if they could get any information from her. 

She wasn’t sure what she had expected of Lena- a bald-headed, raving lunatic like her brother? A frigid bitch like her mother? 

Lena was far from either of those assumptions. When she walked into the room, Kara found herself having to swallow a nervous gulp. She was impeccably dressed, and strikingly beautiful. Her smooth dark hair, piercing green eyes, and pale skin made her look almost other-worldly. It was obvious from the start that she was extremely intelligent. She was straightforward, strong-willed, and a bit steely. But despite her tough exterior, it was clear that there was something deeper and more substantive to Lena Luthor. She wanted to separate herself from the sins of her family’s past, to make a positive name for herself through her own merits, and to make L Corp (formerly known as Luthor Corp) a force for good in the world. 

“I’m just a woman trying to make a name for herself outside of her family,” Lena had said. “Give me a chance… I’m here for a fresh start. Let me have one.” The bravery and hope that came in that statement drew Kara in completely. She knew, from the start, that Lena Luthor was someone worth knowing, and someone that she was going to try her hardest to get to know better. 

For Lena, their first meeting was less memorable than it had been for her wife. She was far more concerned with Clark Kent, and hardly noticed the eager-looking blonde accompanying him. As she got to know her better, she found her to be a bit like a Girl Scout- chipper, earnest, a bit naïve. But she admired Kara’s tenacity, her brightness, and her steadfast belief in the goodness of others. She believed that Lena was more than her last name when no one else did. 

Over the next two years, their friendship grew. It included movie nights, wine nights, game nights, and nights where they just sat on the couch and talked about their days. There were emoji-filled text messages, trips to the beach, road trips where Kara sang loudly to the songs on the radio and even managed to convince Lena to sing along, too. Lena helped keep Kara grounded, and Kara helped Lena to loosen up and “live a little.” 

They never caught the secret glances that they each had for each other, and Kara never connected her presence to the way Lena’s heart rate quickened when she entered the room. When she and Alex were sharing ice cream on the couch, Kara just laughed when Alex said, “You know, you should think about asking Lena out. I think she might have a crush on you.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lena said to Jess when Jess made a similar remark about Kara, but she couldn’t help the blush creeping up her face when she thought about what it might be like to actually take Kara on a date, what they might do in her apartment after it was over…

But there was always something in the middle of their friendship, something that Lena never realized and Kara never spoke about. Supergirl. Supergirl had saved Lena’s life multiple times, but somehow, Lena never made the connection that National City’s hero was none other than her best friend, Kara Danvers. For over two years, she had no clue. 

But then, everything imploded. Lena found out Kara’s secret, and she was just as hurt and angry as Kara had expected she would be. When Kara texted her to see if she could come to L Corp to talk it over, she simply got an angry “Fuck off” as a response. Desperate to speak to her, Kara flew over to L Corp and landed on the balcony.

Lena was livid. “What the hell are you doing here, Supergirl?”

“Lena, please, just let me explain…”

“I thought that we were friends, Kara! Best friends!”

“We ARE. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Lena’s eyebrows rose. “You didn’t want to hurt me? And you don’t think this hurts? Knowing my best friend LIED TO ME for two years? Because of my last name?”

“It wasn’t like that Lena, I swear!”

“You think I’m just like my brother, don’t you? That I hate you, for who you are and who your family is? That’s EXACTLY what you’re doing to me.”

Kara felt her eyes filling with tears. “I don’t hate you Lena! I’ve never hated you… you’re my best friend and I… I LOVE you.”

“Well you sure have a funny way of showing it.”

“I was afraid that people would use your friendship with me against you if they knew!”

Tears were filling Lena’s eyes, as well. “I don’t give a shit what other people would think, or what other people might try to do. Everyone else in my life has lied to me, or betrayed me, or let me down. You were the ONE PERSON who hadn’t, and now I come to find out that you’ve been lying to me all along? I opened up to you, Kara. I told you things that I’ve never told anyone else! And you couldn’t trust me with this? I thought I meant more to you than this, Kara. I thought we could have been more… but I guess I was wrong.”

Lena’s confession stunned Kara. The tears spilled out of her eyes. “Lena, I…. I thought we could, too. We still can, we just need to…”

Lena swiped at her eyes. “There’s nothing we can do. Whatever we had… whatever we could have had… it’s over.” Her voice choked. “I need you to leave now, Supergirl.”

“Lena, please!” Kara said, unashamedly sobbing.

“I said to get out!”

Kara felt her heart breaking. “I’ll leave. But I love you, Lena, and no matter what, I always will. Remember that.” And with that, Supergirl took off and flew into the night, sobbing quietly to herself.

**  
Kara and Lena didn’t speak for two months. And for two months, both of them were absolutely miserable. Lena was too stubborn to reach out, and Kara knew that Lena had to bridge the gap first, so she hopefully waited, each day hoping to see a text from Lena saying, “Let’s talk.” But that day never came.

Things finally changed after Supergirl was badly injured in a fight. A rogue alien had futuristic weaponry that was able to hurt even the Girl of Steel. Kara was knocked out by his gun, and she fell into a deep and dangerous coma. She was taken to the DEO’s med bay, where the scientists worked around the clock to figure out how to wake her up safely. 

It was Alex who called Lena to tell her. Lena was surprised to get the call from Alex; the two of them had never been particularly close, and they hadn’t spoken since she and Kara had fallen out. 

“Alex?”

“Yeah, Lena, hi.” Alex sounded flustered. 

“Is everything okay?”

“No, no. It’s, um, it’s Kara. She got hit in a fight a few hours ago. She’s in a coma. She’s alive, but… it’s not looking great for her.”

“Oh, God…” Lena said. Her heart dropped. 

“I just wanted you to know in case you wanted to see her and talk to her. She can’t respond, but she might be able to hear you. Just in case…” Alex’s voice choked up. 

Lena found herself crying. “No, no, I want to see her. Tell me where to go, and I’ll come now.”

Kara was in a coma for four days. And for those four days, her loved ones came in and out of her room: Eliza, Alex, J’onn, James, Winn, Lucy, even Cat Grant. The DEO scientists, including Eliza and Alex, worked around the clock to find an antidote to the coma. But only one of them refused to leave her bedside- Lena. Lena sat in a chair by Kara’s bed, holding her hand and willing her to wake up. She took a damp washcloth and gently washed her face and neck so that she would be somewhat clean. She slept in a cot that was brought in so that she didn’t have to leave, just in case Kara woke up. 

And on the fourth day, when an antidote was finally discovered and Kara woke up, the first person she saw was Lena. Lena was holding one hand in her own, and her other hand was stroking Kara’s hair back from her forehead.

“Lena? What… what are you doing here?” Kara tried to sit up.

“Shhhhhhhh.” Lena said soothingly. “Don’t go too fast, darling, you’ve been quite ill for a few days.”

The memory of the fight came back to Kara. “How long have I been out?”

“Four days.”

“How did you know?”

“Alex called me.”

“Have you been here the whole time?”

“I haven’t left your side.”

A puzzled look came over Kara’s face. “But… why? I thought you hated me?”

“Oh, Kara.” Lena’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t hate you. I could NEVER hate you. I was hurt, but I was being stubborn. I was so stupid. When I realized how close I came to losing you… I’d never be able to forgive myself.”

Kara clutched Lena’s hand. “So, you’re okay with this?” She ran her hand across the crest on her uniform. “With me being Supergirl?”

Lena stroked the back of Kara’s hand with her thumb. “When you’re stronger, I want us to talk about it. About Supergirl, but about us, too. There’s a lot that I think both of us left unsaid in our relationship, and I’d like to unpack it.”

“You would?”

“Mmmhmm.” Lena leaned forward to place a kiss on Kara’s forehead. “Now, Alex said something about putting you under some sunlamps. I think they’re going to come get you in a few minutes. But I really, really want to talk about this some more. About US some more.” 

“Do you want to come over to my place tomorrow night?” Kara asked. “We could order in, and just… talk it out.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Lena said. “Is 8 ok?”

“8 sounds great,” Kara said. Her heart felt like it was going to explode out of her chest- Lena didn’t hate her. She wanted to be back in Kara’s life, and she wanted to talk about THEM. 

**

2 days later

Kara woke up with her head pillowed against something incredibly soft, wonderfully warm, and intoxicatingly sweet-smelling. She sleepily nuzzled her face into the pillow, breathing in its scent deeply. She wished she could bottle the scent up and carry it with her everywhere.

She was surprised when her pillow moved, and then started softly shaking with what felt like quiet laughter. She opened her eyes, and realized that her “pillow” was, in fact, Lena’s naked breasts.

She sat up quickly. “Sorry, sorry about that.” She then looked down at herself and saw that SHE was also naked, and that Lena was unashamedly staring at her bare breasts. She sheepishly pulled the sheet up over her head, then buried her head in her REAL pillow and groaned. 

Lena, still laughing, reached out and scratched Kara’s back lightly. Kara pulled the sheet back down and smiled at Lena shyly. 

“Hi.”

Lena smiled back. “Hi.” She continued scratching Kara’s back. “You know, I didn’t mind how we were a minute ago.”

“Really?”

“Nope. In fact, I’d love it if you came back over here.”

“Well if you put it THAT way…” Kara said with a laugh, rolling over and settling herself back against Lena’s chest. She sighed contentedly. “This is nice.”

Lena quirked her eyebrow. “My boobs?”

Despite the position they were currently in, and all the activities they’d taken part in last night, Kara STILL found herself blushing. “Well, yes. I happen to quite like them.” She turned to head to place a quick kiss on the one her head had been laying against (the kisses she’d placed against them last night had been ANYTHING but quick). “But what I meant was… THIS. Waking up next to you.”

“I like this too,” Lena said softly. She gently ran her hands through Kara’s hair.  
Neither of them had expected last night to go the way it did. They had spent hours talking- first about Supergirl. Kara had listened to Lena explain why she had been so hurt that Kara had kept it from her, because of all the lies and betrayals that she’d experienced at the hands of everyone else in her life. And Kara told Lena about her life: her family on Krypton, why her parents sent her away, how difficult it was for her to adapt to life on Earth. And then they talked about their relationship: how they’d each pined for one another, and each had deep feelings for the other, but didn’t say anything because they didn’t think the other felt the same way. 

The sexual tension had been building up all night. Both of them could feel it. Finally, Kara held Lena’s hand and shyly asked, “Can I kiss you?”

Lena smiled, then simply leaned forward and pressed her lips against Kara’s. It was a sweet, simple kiss, but the energy between the two was palpable. She pulled back, still smiling. 

“Wow,” Kara said in amazement.

“I know,” Lena replied.

This time Kara leaned forward to kiss her. This kiss was deeper, less sweet and more desperate. Kara ran her tongue along Lena’s bottom lip, and Lena opened her mouth to let her in. Kara licked into Lena’s mouth, exploring it for a bit with her tongue, before breaking the kiss and moving down to place kisses along Lena’s jaw and neck. When she licked at a sensitive spot below Lena’s ear, Lena let out a soft moan. 

Kara pressed Lena into the couch, and they continued kissing each other eagerly. Lena ran her hands under Kara’s sweater, exploring the vast expanse of her back. For being so muscular, it was surprisingly supple and soft. She toyed around the clasp of Kara’s bra, not wanting to take things further without Kara’s consent. Kara pulled back from the kiss.

“Can I?” Lena asked.

“Yes,” Kara said with a laugh, shedding herself of her sweater and letting Lena unfasten her bra. When Kara’s bra came off, she watched Lena’s face as she took in the sight. It was filled with wonder, desire, and a bit of greed. Lena then went to work on Kara’s breasts- kneading at them, sucking them, placing kisses on the sensitive valley between them. It was Kara’s turn to moan. 

Kara pulled back again, slightly out of breath. “Hey Lena…”

“Mmmhmmm,” Lena said, sucking along Kara’s jaw.

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to, but do you maybe want to move this to the bed?”

Lena stopped kissing Kara’s neck to give her a wide smile. “Absolutely.”

Kara picked Lena up effortlessly. Lena wrapped her legs around Kara’s waist and continued kissing her neck as they moved to the bedroom. 

They made short work of removing the rest of their clothes and underwear. Neither Kara nor Lena was usually the type who had sex on the first date (did this even count as a date?), but they had been building up to this moment for two years. 

The sex was, like most first sex with a new partner, slightly awkward at first, but grew more comfortable as they learned more about each other’s bodies, and what they liked. They were in constant communication- “Harder,” “More of that,” “YES, there!” 

By the time they’d finished (literally and figuratively), they both collapsed on the bed, sweaty and panting. Kara glanced at the clock- it was 12:30. 

She turned on her side and held Lena’s hand. “Hey… you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but would you maybe like to sleep over here tonight?” It was a Friday, so neither of them had to wake up early for work.

Lena brought Kara’s hand to her mouth and kissed it. “I’d like nothing more.”

Going to sleep beside one another had been wonderful. Kara had started out as the big spoon, pressing her front firmly against Lena’s back. During the night they shifted, so that Kara was laying partially on top of Lena. Waking up cuddled up to each other was just as wonderful as going to sleep had been. Kara and Lena both thought, “You know, I could see myself doing this forever.” 

Lena yawned and stretched her arms up. As comfortable as she was snuggling with Kara, she was feeling hungry.

“So, how does brunch sound? At Michael’s down by the pier?”

Kara pouted. “I don’t want to get up. I’m too comfy.”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. And actually, I DO know you, so I know if I’m hungry, you’re starving.”

Kara giggled. “As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right. I AM starving.”

Lena’s look softened. “This isn’t the last time we’re going to do this, Kara. I want this to be something… US to be something.”

“So do I,” Kara said, tucking a lock of Lena’s hair behind her ear. 

Lena finally stood up and walked to her wardrobe, stark naked. Kara couldn’t help but ogle her. She was all pale skin and curves- so, so many curves. Kara had loved getting to know Lena’s body, and couldn’t wait to learn more about it in the coming days and weeks. 

Lena found Kara’s pants that had been discarded on the floor the night before and playfully threw them at her. “Okay, you lazy butt, get out of bed so that we can go get some fucking brunch.”

Kara laughed. She’d missed having Lena as a part of her life, and she couldn’t wait to explore this new development in their relationship together. 

**

Kara and Lena had been dating for almost a year. And what a wonderful year it had been! It had been filled with many of the same things that their friendship had been filled with- wine nights, movie nights, game nights with the Superfriends. It was also filled with fancy dinners, and nights where they just ate takeout on the couch. They laughed together, cried together, and loved falling asleep next to the other. 

Kara had moved in with Lena six months into their relationship. They ignored all of Alex’s jabs about U-Hauling, because it just felt RIGHT. Lena’s apartment had always felt too big, too cold and sterile. But Kara’s touch brightened it up, and made it feel like home. It was the little things that made the biggest difference: the stack of board games sitting next to the chess set on the coffee table, bright placemats on the dining room table, Kara’s quilt from Midvale on their bed, their makeup and soaps standing next to each other on the bathroom counter. 

It was what Kara thought would be just an ordinary date night. She and Lena were going to the planetarium to look at the stars and planets, one of Kara’s favorite activities. She loved pointing out the constellations, and explaining how her galaxy differed from the Milky Way. She was so excited about the planetarium that she didn’t notice Alex’s wink and sly “Have fun tonight,” when she left the DEO that afternoon, nor did she notice that Lena’s heart rate was racing. 

They spent nearly two hours at the planetarium looking at the stars. Kara was a treasure trove of information, sharing myths, stories, and all the scientific facts that she knew about each and every star, planet, and galaxy. She was so engrossed that she didn’t see Lena pull a small box out of her purse. Lena took a deep breath and dropped down to one knee.

Kara turned back to Lena, still spouting information. “And it was really stupid that they demoted Pluto, because, COME ON-“ she stopped when she noticed what Lena was doing, and she gasped.

Lena smiled up at her, tears already sliding down her face. “Kara… you mean more to me than anyone else. I don’t know what I would do without you in my life. You told me once that your family’s motto was El Mayarah. Stronger together. When you told me that, I thought that it was exactly what you are to me. You make me a stronger person, a happier person, and a better person. I want us to make each other stronger for the rest of our lives. I want to make a family with you, and a future with you. Kara… will you marry me?”

It took Kara a moment to answer, not because she had any hesitation, but because she was crying too hard to get any words out. In the midst of her tears, she gasped out, “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!”

Lena slipped the ring onto Kara’s finger. It was a simple diamond, one that Alex had helped her pick out. It matched Kara’s taste perfectly. Kara spent a moment looking at the diamond on her finger lovingly, then reached down to pull Lena up and kiss her. They rested their foreheads together, breathing in at the same pace. 

“Forever, Lena,” Kara whispered. “I get to be yours forever.”

**  
The day that Kara and Lena got married in Midvale could not have been more perfect. Sunny, 65 degrees, and a slight breeze. Kara had planned every detail of the wedding to precision, and the weather was the only part of her plan she was nervous about. She and Lena were both relieved that the weather turned out to be so perfect.

It was a small, simple wedding, with guests comprising of their family and closest friends. It was on the beach by Eliza’s home. The wedding venue itself consisted of a white tent with a small number of chairs underneath and a small platform with a raised dais at the center, where the wedding party would be standing.

The wedding party was small; Alex was, of course, Kara’s matron of honor, and Winn, James, and Lucy Lane were her “bridespeople.” Lena would only be accompanied by Sam Arias, the CFO of L Corp and a close friend. 

When soft processional music filled the air, the crowd turned around to watch the wedding party walking down the isle. James seated Eliza in the front row. Flowers marked four chairs on the front row that would be empty during the ceremony as a memorial for loved ones; two for Kara’s parents, one for her adoptive father Jeremiah, and one for Lena’s biological mother. Winn escorted Jess, who was holding 3-month-old Hannah, wearing a little lace dress. He sat them next to Eliza, who bent down to kiss the baby on her head.  
Winn and James walked to the back of the venue, where James escorted Alex and Sam and Winn escorted Lucy to the platform. The bridesmaids were wearing matching navy dresses and were carrying small bouquets of plumerias, the same flowers that would be in both brides’ bouquets. Plumerias were a symbol of creation and recreation, and were special to both Kara and Lena.

When Kara began to walk down the aisle, escorted by J’onn J’onnz, who had become a father figure to her, the music changed to a strange but beautiful instrumental piece, which was identified in the program as a traditional Kryptonian wedding song. Kara was wearing a simple white sleeveless dress, and her hair was arranged in a beautiful half up, half down style that highlighted the way her blonde waves cascaded down her back. She was wearing her glasses (since she was marrying under her Kara Danvers identity), but even with the glasses the emotion in her eyes was obvious, and she only became more emotional when she watched Lena walking down the aisle to “Concerning Hobbits,” from her favorite movie series, The Lord of the Rings. Lena walked down alone, which was how she wanted it. For Lena, it was symbolic. She was coming into the marriage alone, without any family or support, but she was marrying into a family filled with friends who loved her and supported her. Like Kara, she wore a simple white sleeveless dress, but her hair was arranged in a beautiful and classic chignon at the nape of her neck.

J’onn stood with Kara and Lena, where he would be officiating. He explained that the Earth traditions of exchanging vows and rings would take place first, followed by the traditions central to Kryptonian wedding ceremonies.

Kara prepared to read her vows first, and Lena took hold of her hands to stop them from shaking. Her voice was tight with emotion as she spoke: “Lena, you are my best friend and my partner in all things. You are my lover, my protector, my savior, and my hero. You mean more to me than anyone and anything in this Earth and in all other parts of this vast universe. I was broken for so long, but your compassion, your hope, your belief in me, and your love has made me whole again. I promise to always protect you, and to always be your equal partner. I promise to let myself be vulnerable in front of you, and to let you see the parts of me that I keep hidden from the world. I promise to find joy in the good times with you, and to weather the hard times together. Most of all, I promise to always, always love you, no matter what.” Hands still shaking slightly, she slipped a small gold band onto the ring finger of Lena’s left hand, then brought the hand to her mouth, where she placed a kiss on the ring.

Kara held Lena’s hands as she read her own vows. “Kara- before I met you, there were very few people that I could count on in my life, and I was very distrustful. But you showed me how good, how kind, and how trustworthy people could be. You brought so much light into my life, and you still do. I don’t know what I would do without you. Supergirl is a hero to so many, but to me, Kara Danvers is my real hero. I promise to love you through the good times and the bad. I promise to be your partner, your equal, and your best friend.” Lena’s voice broke, and she could hardly continue. “I love you so much, sweetheart. Thank you for showing me what love is.” She then placed a ring on Kara’s finger, and like Kara brought the hand to her lips so she could place a kiss on the ring.

J’onn then announced that they were moving to the Kryptonian ceremony. The small dais at the center of the platform served as a makeshift Jewel of Truth and Honor, a central part of Kryptonian wedding tradition. Kara and Lena stood on the Jewel of Truth and Honor as J’onn said the words that began Kryptonian weddings in the years before the planet’s demise: “In the name of truth and honor I declare the marriage vows binding upon you! From this day forward, throughout all time and space, even unto eternity…”

Kara and Lena exchanged wedding bracelets that were a beautiful lilac. The program explained that all Kryptonian couples exchanged these bracelets in a color that was unique to them. When the bracelets had been tied on their wrists, J’onn held both of their hands and announced, “Made wife and wife this day–and for all days hence. May the countenance of Rao ever shine on you.” With those parting words, Kara and Lena shared a kiss, prompting everyone in attendance to let out a cheer.

Dinner was outstanding, because, of course, Lena had chosen the catering company. Kara and Lena both walked from table to table greeting guests, but from time to time they each looked over at the other and smiled.

The dancing started shortly after dinner. Kara and Lena shared their first dance to one of their favorite songs, “I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles. They swayed softly together, Lena’s hands clasped around Kara’s neck and Kara’s lips moving, crooning the music softly into her new wife’s ear. They looked like the picture of happiness.

“Tell the world that we finally got it all right  
I choose you  
I will become yours and you will become mine  
I choose you.”

Lena leaned forward and pressed her lips against Kara’s ear. “I can’t wait to start our life together. I will love you always and forever, my darling. And I will always, always, always choose you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kara's definitely a boob girl.


	6. Back to Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena has conflicting feelings about going back to work after having a baby, but luckily she has Kara to help her through it.

“Shit,” Lena muttered as she looked down at her shirt. 

It had been one of her favorite shirts to wear to work pre-baby; the cut was flattering, and the bright green really brought out the color in her eyes. But there was no way that it was appropriate for work now, unless she wanted to entertain all of the L Corp employees with a peep show. Allie was 2 months old now, and Lena was going to back to work, just for one or two days a week. There were meetings galore, including a major board meeting, and Lena truly felt like she needed to be in the office a day or two a week to help everything run smoothly. 

Looking down at her shirt in disgust, she huffed and walked out of her closet. 

“Would you look at this?” she asked Kara, who was sprawled out on their bed next to Allie to keep her company while she was grumpily doing tummy time. 

Kara’s eyes widened. “WOW.”

“I CANNOT wear this to the office,” Lena said, hastily taking off the blouse and tossing it over her shoulder (never mind that it was a $200 top). 

“I mean, I think you look AMAZING in it,” Kara said. “But there’s maybe a liiiiiiitle too much boob showing for an office setting.”

“This sucks,” Lena grumped. “I still can’t wear most of my old clothes.”

Kara sighed. “I know it’s frustrating, but you gotta remember, it’s only been 8 weeks, Lee. It took you 9 months to grow the baby, you’re not going to go back to your old body overnight.”

“I know, I know,” Lena said. “I just don’t want to show up to the office looking frumpy.”

Kara was about to respond, but was interrupted by Allie, who had started screaming in earnest. She HATED tummy time. 

“Okay, I think you’ve made your point clear, ma’am,” Kara said in mock seriousness. She checked her phone alarm. “Time’s up anyway. But you’re not off the hook yet, we’re doing this again at 11.” She pulled Allie’s lounging pillow over beside her, laid the baby on it, and offered Allie her finger to suck on for a bit. Allie latched on to Kara’s finger immediately and her screaming stopped almost instantly. 

Kara turned back to Lena. “Why don’t you wear that top I got you at Target? It looks so good on you, and it’s a bit more, um, covering than that other shirt. Plus the reviews that I read online said it’s great for nursing and pumping.”

Lena gave her wife a “really?” look. “Kara. It’s from TARGET.”

“But you said you liked it!”

“I do! But do you really expect me to wear a shirt from Target to work?”

“Hey! I get my work clothes from Target!” Kara said in mock offense.

“My point exactly,” Lena responded, although an added wink at the end let Kara know she was just teasing. 

“Look, just pair it with a blazer and no one will know the difference,” Kara said. “Besides, you’re wearing an Armani skirt and Jimmy Choo heels. I think that cancels out a Target shirt.”

Lena had grabbed the said shirt and a black blazer from the closet and appraised herself in the mirror. She actually looked quite good. 

“Hmmmm,” Kara said as she got up from the bed and gave Lena a good once-over. “Yep, I approve!” She wrapped her arms around Lena’s waist and placed a kiss on her neck. She then pulled back and just held Lena for a moment, and Lena leaned into her wife’s embrace.

“So… other than the clothes, how are you doing?” Kara asked. 

“I’m okay,” Lena said. “I thought I would be ready to go back, but… it makes me a little sad. And like the world’s worst mother.” Her voice caught on the word “mother.” “Shit,” she said, before dissolving into tears.

“Oh, baby, no,” Kara said, turning Lena around in her arms and holding her tightly as she cried into her shoulder. “You are the BEST mother, and Allie’s so lucky to have you.”

“I feel like I need to be back at the office but I’m afraid that she’s going to HATE me for it,” Lena sobbed. “And I miss her so much already!”

“Look at me,” Kara said, tilting Lena’s head up so she could look her in the eyes. “Going back to work does NOT make you a bad mother. And Allie is NOT going to hate you for it. Every day she sees how much you love her. You sing to her, you play with her, you talk to her, you read to her, you rock her and cuddle her. And you’ll keep doing those things even when you go back full time. And you don’t have to worry about her at all today. I’ll be home with her and I’ll take good care of her. And you get to see her tonight, and all day tomorrow, so you can have all those good Allie cuddles.”

Lena rested her head against Kara’s chest. “I knew I always wanted to go back to work. I mean, could you see me, being a stay-at-home mom?” Kara giggled at that image. “But I didn’t know it would be so hard.”

“I know it’s hard. But look over there.” She pointed at the bed, where Allie had turned her head to look at her moms. “She knows us now. She recognizes our voices and our smell. She knows that she’s ours, and that we’re hers. She’s two months old and she KNOWS that, and she’s got going to forget it. She loves you already, Lena, and she knows you love her more than anything in the world. This isn’t going to hurt her at all. In all honesty, it’ll probably just be another example of what a great work ethic looks like. She’ll be fine, and you’ll be fine.”

Lena sniffed and laid her head on Kara’s shoulder. “I know. But it doesn’t make it any easier.”

“I know,” Kara said, bending down to place a kiss on Lena’s lips. 

She turned to look at the alarm clock beside their bed. “We’ve got 10 minutes before you have to leave. Wanna cuddle with Allie?” Family cuddles were a new favorite thing for both Kara and Lena. They climbed on top of the bed, and Kara laid Allie on her chest. Lena snuggled in close, and laid her head on Kara’s shoulder. She gently rubbed Allie’s back and placed soft kisses on her cheeks and head. 

“Awww,” Lena said with a slight giggle as Allie smiled at her. She had recently started purposefully smiling, and it was the sweetest thing. She had Kara’s smile exactly, and Lena loved it. 

Kara kissed Allie’s head and smoothed down her fine, dark hair, so much like Lena’s. “She loves her mommy.”

Lena smiled. Even after all these years, she still wasn’t quite used to having people who loved her just for being HER. “I love her, too. And I love her mama just as much.”

“She and I are so lucky we have you,” Kara whispered, gently placing a kiss against Lena’s head. 

The sweet cuddle session was interrupted when Allie’s diaper needed to be changed. Lena laughed as Kara groaned and sat up to carry her to her room to clean her up. Lena followed them into the nursery and watched as Kara took off the dirty diaper, cleaned her up, and put a fresh one on.

“That is a positive about going to work today- YOU’RE the one who has to do all of this.”

“Ha ha,” Kara said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She snapped Allie’s onesie back in place, picked her up, and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Want to walk Mommy out with me, sweet girl?” She looked as Allie smiled back at her. “I take that as a yes!”

Kara and Allie accompanied Lena to the front door of the apartment. Lena grabbed an oversized bag that contained her breast pump and supplies, as well as papers and charts for that morning’s board meeting. 

Lena took a deep breath. “Well… I’m gonna head out. I’m taking the Lexus, so you’ll have the Q7 if you need to go anywhere with Allie.” Kara and Lena had 4 cars- a Rolls-Royce, Lena’s Lexus, an Audi Q7 that Lena bought when they found out they were pregnant because she insisted it was a “family car,” and a Range Rover that made no sense for a city but that Lena just enjoyed driving. Kara was only comfortable driving the Q7. She usually took the bus or metro wherever she needed to go (or, if worse came to worse, she just flew), but was trying to get more comfortable driving now that she had a baby, stroller, diaper bag, toys, and more to drag along with her wherever she went.

“Speaking of going somewhere… what time were you going to take lunch today? I was thinking I could bring Allie to L Corp and we could all have lunch together! You could get some cuddles in during the day.”

Lena’s face lit up. “Oh, I would LOVE that!”

Kara smiled. “Sounds like a date!” 

Lena kissed Allie’s tiny lips, then gave Kara a quick kiss on the lips. “I love both of you to the moon and back.”

“We love you so much,” Kara whispered in Lena’s ear. “Allie and I are so proud of you.” 

Lena turned back as she walked out the door, and watched as Kara picked Allie’s hand up and helped her do a tiny wave. Lena’s heart melted. It was still a bit sad, to leave her wife and daughter at home, but it was also heartening to know that they would still be there, happy, loved, and excited to see her, when she returned.


	7. Back to Work, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Supergirl is back on duty, but work roles might be changing for Kara.

When Allie was 12 weeks old, Supergirl finally made her grand return to saving National City. 

It was a rough fight. A gang of armed-robbers who had someone gained access to banned alien technology robbed a series of banks across the city. They put up one hell of a fight, and it took a combination of Supergirl’s powers and fighting ability and the full manpower of the DEO’s field agents to subdue them. By the time the fight was over, an abandoned warehouse was burning, five DEO agents were injured, and three of the robbers were injured. Supergirl helped to put out the fire before flying over to the DEO for a de-briefing.

“Good fight out there,” Alex said, clapping her sister on the shoulder. 

“That was something,” Kara said as she brushed ashes off her suit. “I know that I can’t really get out of shape, but I feel kind of out of shape since I’ve been out of practice for a while. I think we’ll need to up some of our sparring sessions.”

“That can be done,” Alex said. “But you looked great. How are you feeling?”

“Okay, actually,” she said. “A little dirty. I’ll probably take a quick shower here and then head back home for a bath. I need it.”

“Have you and Lena talked any more about the schedule we talked about?”

“I haven’t brought it up with her, actually,” Kara said. “She just started back this week and I wanted her to get used to everything first. Cat and James are both on board, though.”

Lena had gone back to L Corp full time, but Kara still had a month left of maternity leave from CatCo. Cat Grant had bought it back from Lena two years ago, so Cat and James were back to being Kara’s bosses.

“I get it,” Alex said. “I think she’ll like the idea, though.”

“Me, too.” Kara said. She grabbed and towel and headed towards the DEO’s showers. “Are we still on for dinner Friday?” 

“Yep!” Alex said. Eliza was coming down for the weekend and had offered to watch Hannah and Allie so that Lena, Kara, Jess, and Alex could go out to eat together. “I love my kid to death, but it’ll be nice to have some adult time where we’re not having to constantly talk about Doc McStuffins and Dora the Explorer.” 

Kara laughed. “Is this a vision of my future?”

“You know it!” Alex said with a laugh. “You were great out there today, Kara. It’s nice to have you back around here.”

“It’s nice to be back,” Kara said. “That being said, I can’t wait to go home and see the little munchkin. I haven’t been away from her for so long before and it felt a little strange.” Luckily, Lena was home when the robbers struck, so they didn’t have to get a last-minute sitter for Allie. 

“I know you can’t. Talk with you tomorrow!”

Kara took a quick shower at the DEO, then put her suit back on and flew back to the apartment. She landed on the balcony and climbed through the open door to the living room. 

Lena was sitting on the couch, looking over some L Corp paperwork. Allie was awake and on an activity mat on the floor, cooing and swiping at the soft toys that were waving above her on a mobile.

“There’s my two favorite girls,” Kara said as entered the room.

Lena smiled when she saw Kara. “I heard about the fight on the news- looks like you kicked some major ass out there today!”

Kara unclipped her cape and hung it on the back of one of the chairs at the bar. She moved over to the couch and kissed Lena. “It was quite a fight, and there was indeed a lot of ass-kicking that happened.”

She then sat on the floor next to Allie. “Hi Bean,” she said, giving her daughter a quick kiss. Allie smiled and cooed happily, then reached up to grab a fistful of Kara’s hair. She had just mastered the art of reaching for and grasping things, and she loved grabbing her mothers’ hair and sticking the fistful of hair into her mouth. Kara giggled at that, but gently pried Allie’s hands off her hair. “Sorry, baby- Mama’s been out fighting some bad guys and her hair might still be a little yucky.” She tickled Allie’s tummy, eliciting more happy coos from the baby, then buried her face in Allie’s neck and inhaled her sweet, perfect baby scent. It was the best smell in the world, and Kara couldn’t get enough of it. 

After kissing and nuzzling on her daughter for a few minutes, she stood up with a small groan. “I think I’m going to take a bath- I’m feeling a little bit stiff, since it’s been so long since I’ve fought like that.”

Lena gave a mock gasp. “And I thought the Girl of Steel couldn’t get stiff!”

Kara sighed. “It happens to the best of us.”

“Hey,” Lena said suddenly. “How’d you like a little company in the bath? I haven’t bathed Allie yet, and it might be fun to all get in the tub together.”

Kara’s eyes lit up. “Oh, yes yes yes a million times yes! That’s sounds amazing.”

Kara picked Allie up, and all three Luthor-Danvers ladies made their way to the ensuite bathroom of Kara and Lena’s room. They typically bathed Allie in the smaller bathroom closer to her nursery, but the ensuite bathroom had a bathtub that was easily big enough for the two adults and a baby. 

Lena had grabbed Allie’s baby shampoo, as well as a soft washcloth and a towel to wrap her up in when they were done. Lena ran the bath, checking that it was a comfortable temperature for the baby, as Kara laid Allie on their bed and used superspeed to get out of her suit, then undressed Allie at normal speed. Allie grumbled a bit about her warm clothes being taken away, but seemed happier once Kara (who, as a Kryptonian, ran hot) picked her up and cuddled her close. Allie was three months old but Kara still loved moments where she got to do skin-to-skin with her daughter. The warm and quiet bonding was such a special gift for her.

 

Kara handed Allie to Lena while she climbed in the bath. Lena then passed Allie back to Kara so she could take off her clothes, too. 

Kara propped the baby up on her bent legs. Allie kicked at the water excitedly. Allie LOVED bathtime, and showed her enthusiasm by trying to splash as much water out of the tub as was possible for a 12-pound infant. With one hand steadily holding the wiggly baby, Kara used the other hand to gently cascade water over Allie to keep her warm. 

Lena came back into the bathroom, her hair in a messy bun on top of her head. She climbed in the tub so that she was facing her wife and daughter. She smiled at Kara, who was making silly faces in order to entertain the baby. 

“Who’s the cutest little girl in all the universe? Is it our Allie Cat? Is it Allie?”

Kara was interrupted by a tiny, gasping sound. She stopped talking and looked at Allie, then looked at Lena with a look of delight on her face. 

“She’s laughing! I made her laugh!”

Kara started laughing again, then Lena laughed, and Allie’s laugh mixed in with her mothers’. It was the sweetest sound that either of them had ever heard in their life. 

“Is Mama being silly? Do you think your Mama is silly?” Kara asked playfully. 

Allie continued laughing gleefully. Kara bent down to blow a gentle raspberry against her chubby neck, and she laughed even harder, which made Kara and Lena both laugh harder, as well.

Lena stroked her foot against Kara’s thigh. “Of COURSE you made her laugh first.”

“And smile first,” Kara reminded her. “What can I say? She obviously thinks I’m the fun mom.”

Lena rolled her eyes playfully. 

They continued playing with Allie for a few minutes. Kara then got the washcloth and baby shampoo and gently bathed her, and fashioned her hair into a Mohawk. It was so cute that she snapped a quick picture to send to Eliza and Alex later that night. She then scooped water into her hand and washed off the soap and shampoo. Allie cooed happily.

After she was all rinsed off, Kara gently cradled Allie against her chest to keep her warm. Allie nuzzled against her. 

“I think she’s getting sleepy, Lee,” Kara said. “And hungry,” she added as Allie tried to mouth at her breasts. “Sorry kiddo, no food for you in there.” She gave Allie her finger to suck on and looked at Lena.” “Do you want to feed her here in the tub, or do it in the chair in our room?”

“I’ll just do it in our room,” Lena said. “I don’t want her to get too cold.”

Lena climbed out of the tub, dried off, and put on a robe. She then wrapped Allie in her towel and sat on the toilet as she dried her off. Kara climbed out on the tub, put on her robe, and went to Allie’s nursery, where she grabbed a diaper and a soft pink sleeper with white bunnies printed all over it. 

Lena brought Allie back to the bed, where she and Kara worked together to diaper her and put on her sleeper. Lena then carried Allie to the rocking chair in the room, put her legs up on the ottoman, and began feeding her. Allie grabbed Lena’s robe tightly, and Lena stroked her little hand slowly. Kara lay down on their bed and lovingly watched her wife and daughter.

“So, I wanted to talk with you about something,” Kara said. 

Lena looked at Kara, somewhat confused. “Is everything ok?”

“Yeah, everything’s great,” Kara said. “It’s just that I’ll be going back to work in a couple of weeks, and Alex suggested something to me last week and I think it might be a good idea.”

“What is it?”

“Well, I’m really, really liking being a mom. Like, don’t get me wrong, I love working at CatCo, but I just really, really love being with Allie. And now that she’s getting more alert and active, I keep thinking about all the fun stuff that we can do with her. Like, taking her to Mom and Baby groups at the library, and swimming lessons at the YMCA, and to the park. Things like that.”

Lena seemed puzzled. “Go on…”

“So, I talked to James and Cat about maybe working more… flexibly. Working from home 4 days a week and in the office 1 day a week. I can write from anywhere, I would just need to attend the weekly staff meetings. And the DEO has the daycare center for the agents’ kids right? Alex was thinking Allie could stay there while I’m at the office. That way she’d be able to be around other babies and kids.”

Lena nodded, although her face was still scrunched up in thought.

“I could be on board with this. But what about if Supergirl duties call when you’ve got Allie? You can’t just leave her, and I know you would be safe about it, but I don’t want you flying her to the DEO, either.”

“That was something I’d brought up with Alex,” Kara said. “And we found a solution to that, too. Alex has been experimenting with transporters for years now, but she finally has a working model. You just press a button and it opens a pathway to wherever you want to go. We’ve been using it with DEO agents in the field, and she was thinking that I could have one so that if a Supergirl emergency came up, I could just grab Allie’s diaper bag and we could be at the DEO daycare instantly.”

Lena nodded again. “I mean, you and Alex are going to have to show me how it works before I let you all take Allie in it. But… I actually really like the idea, if it’s what YOU want. I don’t want you to feel like you’re having to change your work because of the baby.”

“This IS what I want,” Kara said emphatically. “I want to be with Allie. And this schedule still allows me to work, but also to be with her. I’m already getting excited about the fun stuff we’ll be able to do. We can come by and have lunch with you a few days a week. That’d be fun, right?”

Lena smiled. She LOVED when Kara and Allie stopped by to join her for lunch. She was able to nurse the baby and to get in some good snuggles, and L Corp employees (Jess especially) loved holding the baby and cuddling with her, too. 

“That would be the highlight of my work day, FOR SURE,” Lena said. 

“So… do you think this is something that we can try?”

Lena sat Allie up to burp her, and as she was patting her back said, “I think it’s definitely something we can try.”

A wide smile crossed Kara’s face. “I was SO hoping you’d say that!”

She looked at her daughter. “You and me, Allie Cat! We’re going to have so much fun!”

Allie smiled at the sound of her mother’s voice. 

Lena looked down at Allie and gave her a kiss before switching her to feed on the other side. “I think she’s on board for it, too.”

“I knew she would be,” Kara said. “It still feels like a dream sometimes. That I’m married to this wonderful woman, and we’ve made this perfect little girl together, and that I get to be her mom. I never, ever thought I’d be able to have that.”

“I didn’t think I’d be able to have it, either,” Lena said, stroking her hand over Allie’s head. “This is more than I ever could have wished.” She looked up at Kara and smiled. “You two girls are the best gift that I ever could have received.”


	8. First Night Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Supergirl duties mean that it's Lena's first night alone with Allie. Lena thinks that everything will go smoothly, but a certain four-month-old baby might have other plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone asked for more Lena and Allie, so I've delivered!

Lena was in the middle of looking through some quarterly reports when her phone started to ring. It was Kara. 

“Hey, you,” she said with a smile. It wasn’t unusual for her wife to contact her during the day- sometimes she had a question about how much Allie had eaten during her morning feeding, other times she wanted to send a video of Allie doing something cute, or a selfie of herself with Allie nestled against her chest in the Ergo baby carrier on their daily walk, or a picture of Allie and Lena that she’d taken the night before. Lena relished those moments- she liked seeing bits and pieces of the little adventures Kara and Allie had during the day. 

“Hey,” Kara said. She sounded slightly rushed and out-of-breath. “So, you remember Barry Allen from Earth-1? The Flash?”

“Yes,” Lena said, slightly confused.

“Well, they’re having an incident there… a rogue SOMETHING, I didn’t quite catch what it is. But it sounds like it’s giving them a lot of trouble. Anyway, they’re in pretty dire need of help, and Barry just called us to see if we could send some agents over to help. Alex, J’onn, Winn, Vasquez, Tomlinson and I are heading over there to help them deal with it.”

Kara had been to the other Earth to help out several times before, so something like this was nothing new. However, it was the first time it had happened since the baby. 

“Is Allie at the DEO?” Lena asked. Her first instinct was always to check that her daughter was safe and being looked after. Allie stayed at the DEO daycare on the one day a week when Kara went in to work at CatCo, as well as any time there was a Supergirl emergency and Lena wasn’t at home to take care of her. 

“Yeah, she’s here. I brought her diaper bag so she’ll be good to go until you can pick her up. I also drove the Q7 over here so you’ll have the carseat. Do you have any late meetings or anything today?”

“No,” Lena said. She checked her schedule- luckily it was a light week. “I’ll be able to get her at four.”

“You’re not angry or anything, are you?” Kara asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

“Darling, we’ve had this discussion a thousand times. I’m not angry with you for doing your job. But I would like to know, how long do you expect to be gone?”

“Not too long- J’onn’s thinking maybe a day or two? They’ve got Oliver Queen and the Legends to help out too, so with all of us working together it shouldn’t be too bad.”

“You all be safe, okay? I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“We’ll be fine,” Kara said. “Routine stuff, it sounds like, Barry just needs a little extra support. Plus, you know me- I’m the Girl of Steel!”

Lena smiled at that. “I know, but that doesn’t mean that your wife doesn’t worry about you.”

“I know,” Kara said. “I’ll call tonight if I can. I already gave Allie a kiss, but give her another one before bedtime, okay?”

“I will,” Lena said. “She and I will be just fine tonight and tomorrow.”

“I know you will,” Kara said. “But don’t be afraid to call Jess or even Eliza if you need help, okay?”

“I don’t think I’ll need to call in the troops just yet,” Lena said with a laugh.

“Guess not,” Kara said. “Anyway- we’re heading out now. I love you. I’ll talk with you soon!”

“Love you too,” Lena said as she ended the call. She took a big breath and let it out slowly. 

Her first time alone with the baby… “Let the adventure begin,” she muttered to herself.

**  
Lena strode into the DEO’s daycare center like she owned the place (which, technically, she did, as she was the one paying for the top-of-the-line teachers and equipment). 

She zeroed in on Allie immediately. She was sitting in one of the teachers’ laps, batting at a toy that the teacher was holding out in front of her. Lena walked over to them, a huge smile on her face. 

When she saw her mother, Allie’s face lit up immediately with a wide, toothless smile, and she began cooing happily.

“Hi, my little sunshine!” Lena said enthusiastically as she knelt down beside her. She stroked her finger along Allie’s cheek. “Did you have a good day today with all your friends?” A few months ago, Lena would have been embarrassed by the “baby voice” that she used when talking to her daughter. But seeing how gleefully Allie responded to it? It made any initial discomfort she had felt totally worth it, and now she didn’t have a second thought about it. Lillian had always spoken to her like she was a small adult, but she wanted HER daughter to know what it was like to be a kid, and to spoken to like a kid.

“She’s actually been a little off today,” her teacher said.

“Off?” Lena asked, getting a little worried. “How so?”

“Just a little crankier than usual. She’s fine if someone’s holding her or playing with her, but if she’s down by herself she gets pretty fussy.”

“Do you think she’s sick?” 

“I don’t think so, babies just get like this sometimes,” her teacher said. “Ms. Danvers left her car seat with us so that you could drive her home.”

“Thanks so much,” Lena said. She looked back at Allie, who had started to gnaw on the toy. “You having a rough day, sweetheart? That’s okay- Mommy’s here now and I’m going to make it all better!” (“I hope,” she thought to herself- she might be in for a rough night ahead). 

She picked Allie up and Allie immediately grabbed the collar of Lena’s shirt in her fist and shoved it into her mouth. Luckily, this was another of Kara’s Target finds (which Lena was surprisingly growing quite fond of) and not a $1,000 Alexander McQueen blouse like she used to wear to work, so a little baby drool wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. 

Lena clipped Allie into her carrier, grabbed the diaper bag, and walked to her car. She soon realized what the teacher meant when she said Allie was having an off day- her usually placid baby was indeed quite cranky, and cried most of the way home. Lena pulled off onto a side street so that she could reach back and pluck a pacifier in Allie’s mouth, which seemed to calm her some; her cries softened to frustrated huffs as she sucked.

When Lena parked the car in her apartment building’s garage, she went to get Allie out of the back seat. When she saw her, she burst out laughing. If Allie looked just like Kara when she was happy, then she looked exactly like Lena when she was angry. The look on Allie’s face was an exact replica, in miniature, of Lena’s “mad face,” as Kara deemed it. It was nothing less than a full-fledged scowl. To Lena’s joy, she did have a teeny tiny crinkle, just like Kara’s, in between her eyebrows. 

Lena quickly took a picture to show Kara, and then rubbed her index finger on Allie’s crinkle. “I’m sorry that I laughed, Allie Cat. I would be scared of you if you weren’t so cute.”

Allie grunted around her pacifier, as if displeased. 

“Okay, Miss Grumpy-Pants,” Lena said. “Let’s get you inside and see if we can turn that frown upside-down.” She was surprising herself by how much she sounded like Kara.

She carried Allie up to their apartment. It was only 4:30 in the afternoon, and the early summer nights meant that it stayed light until past 8:00. That gave Lena more than enough time to take Allie on a little excursion. 

Lena quickly changed into a more comfortable outfit of a soft t-shirt and jeans that she rolled up at the ankle. She braided her hair in one long strand down her back. She walked over to Allie, who was lying in the center of her bed. She leaned over her, and Allie grabbed at her braid. 

“How does going and playing at the park sound? Does that sound fun?”

Allie, who seemed much less fussy out of her car seat and with her mother around, gave a happy, gurgled coo in response. 

“Yeah? You like that idea? I like that idea, too.” Lena placed a succession of quick kisses on Allie’s nose, cheeks, and lips before picking her up and carrying her to the stroller. 

When Lena put her in the stroller, she started crying immediately.

“Not wanting to be too far from Mommy, huh?” Lena said. “Well, we can fix that.” She grabbed the Ergo baby carrier and strapped Allie in against her chest. Once she was nestled snugly against her mother’s chest, her crying stopped almost instantly, and she nuzzled contentedly against Lena as if to say “Ahhhhhh- that’s better!” 

Lena bent down and kissed her head, before grabbing a small bag containing a couple of toys, a diaper, wipes, a wet bag, and a change of clothes, just in case any accidents happened while they were out. She also placed one of Allie’s blankets in the bag so that they could lay out on the grass. She put on a baseball cap and sunglasses, and also grabbed a tiny hat for Allie. 

It took ten minutes for Lena to walk to the park. On the way, she chatted to the baby. She talked about what she had done at work that day, projects that were happening at L Corp, and what she was making for dinner. She knew that Allie didn’t understand any of it, but that she loved hearing her mother’s voice. She periodically glanced down and saw a huge smile, so much like Kara’s (but toothless, and with much more drool) stretch across her daughter’s face. Allie wore a look of pure joy and unconditional love. It made Lena’s heart expand, to know that someone loved her like that. 

When they got to the park, Lena found a slightly shady spot in the grass. She spread the blanket out and sat down, holding Allie in her lap. For a while they watched a group of 8-year-old boys who were running around playing soccer, and Allie seemed mesmerized by them. Lena then lay down on her back and held Allie above her, pretending that she was flying around like Supergirl. Allie gave off squeals of happy laughter. Lena brought her down close to her so that she could plant kisses all over her face, eliciting even more laughs from the baby.

They then made their way over to the swing set. Lena sat in one of the swings with Allie in her lap and gently rocked back and forth, making sure not to go high or fast. She bent forward and the look of pure joy on her daughter’s face was one of the most wonderful things she’d ever seen. 

After a few minutes of swinging, Allie began to get fussy, so Lena took her back over to their blanket. Lightly covering her with the blanket, Lena quickly fed her, then burped her. Lena checked her phone and noticed that it was already 6:00. 

“This has been so much fun, but I think I’m ready to head home for dinner and a bath. How does that sound?”

Allie cooed happily in response.

“Yeah?” Lena said, giving her a quick kiss. “I knew you’d agree with me.”

She strapped Allie back against her chest, and they made their way back to the apartment.

Lena ended up making a quick salad for dinner. She placed Allie on her floor activity mat, and Allie was content to play with her toys on the floor while Lena ate and checked emails. 

At 7:00, Lena picked Allie up and carried her to the bathroom. An idea suddenly hit her.

“How’d you like some company at bathtime? Does that sound fun?”

Allie grunted in response, making Lena think their conversations weren’t quite as one-sided as she’d originally thought. 

Lena gently laid Allie in a baby chair next to her while she filled the bathtub and checked the water temperature. Once she decided that the temperature was warm enough, but not too hot, she stripped off her clothes, then undressed Allie, as well. 

Lena gently lowered both of them into the water. She laughed as Allie began kicking enthusiastically, splashing water everywhere.

“What are you doing, you little wild girl? You’re going to kick all the water out of the tub!”

She bent forward to blow a raspberry kiss on Allie’s cheek, making her squeal with excitement. 

“I think we’re going to have to sign you up for swimming lessons,” Lena said. “You’re like a little fish.”

She sang to her baby as she started bathing her. Unlike Kara, Lena was NOT a singer. She didn’t think she had a good singing voice, and was quite embarrassed by the way she sounded. But that didn’t seem to bother Allie one bit. As Lena bathed her and sang the few nursery rhymes she knew, Allie smiled at her mommy and reached up for Lena’s face with her chubby little hand. 

Lena kissed Allie’s hand. “I love you so much,” she said. “More than anything. Always, always, remember that.”

Their normal bedtime routine followed the bath. Lena dried the baby off and took her to the nursery, where she gently massaged lotion onto her skin and changed her into pajamas. Lena missed Kara; she knew how much Kara loved reading to Allie in the rocking chair in their room, and singing to her before Lena nursed her to sleep. Kara was probably feeling a bit sad all by herself on Earth-1. But as much as she missed her wife, it WAS nice to get some one-on-one bonding time with her daughter, too. 

Lena thought she was off the hook for the night. Allie had gotten to a point where she was sleeping for about 4 hours at a time. Bedtime was at 8, and she usually woke up hungry at midnight, and again at 4 am. But compared to being up every 2 hours, the amount of sleep Lena was getting these days was a gift. 

But Miss Alura obviously had other plans. Her fussiness from earlier in the day returned, and she was up crying every hour through the night. 

Lena tried EVERYTHING to get her to sleep calmly- she nursed her, rocked her, sang to her, talked to her, rubbed her back. She even tried putting her in her crib (she only slept in the crib during the day, and was still with Kara and Lena at night). The crib was the worst idea of all, and she screamed for a full hour without stopping. The only thing that seemed to help her sleep was laying down on top of Lena. Lena was too afraid to fall asleep herself; she didn’t want to accidentally suffocate the baby. So for hours, she lay on her bed, awake but exhausted, with her daughter fast asleep on her chest. It was a very long night. 

Lena knew she couldn’t go to work the next day. She was too tired, and despite having gotten a few hours of sleep, Allie was also exhausted from staying up most of the night. Lena texted Jess at 7 and told her that she wouldn’t be coming in. Allie fortunately seemed fairly content to lay on her lounging pillow on the bed next to Lena.

Lena was so tired that she didn’t even bother getting out of bed to feed Allie when she started crying for her morning meal. She simply rolled over and fed the baby on her side before readjusting the nursing tank top that she wore to bed and placing Allie back on her lounging pillow. At 8:00, after an exhausting and emotionally draining night, Lena and Allie were finally able to fall into a more restful sleep.

Lena was so deeply asleep that she didn’t hear the light touch of boots and a swish of a cape on the balcony, or the balcony door gently opening. Kara could tell by the rhythm of her wife’s heartbeat that she was in a deep and peaceful sleep. 

She removed her boots and cape in the living room, and quietly padded into the bedroom. She let out a quiet “Awwwwww,” when she saw her wife and daughter, both fast asleep on the bed. She pulled out her phone and took a quick picture, and sensing that both of them needed their rest, she quietly changed out of her supersuit and into a soft tshirt and leggings, and went to the living room to work on an article. 

At 10:00 she heard the baby stirring, but Lena’s heartbeat remained slow and steady, indicating she was still asleep. Kara quietly walked back into the room and picked up Allie, who was now awake and looked like she was about to cry.

“Shhhhhhh,” Kara soothed as she carried Allie out of the room. “Let’s let Mommy sleep.”

Kara gave Allie a bottle, then placed her on her activity mat for playtime while Kara worked. At 10:45, Lena finally came out of the room, yawning dramatically. 

“Hey,” Kara said with a smile. 

“When did you get back?” Lena asked as she sat beside Kara on the couch. She rested her head against her wife’s shoulder. 

“A little after 8,” Kara said. “I checked for Allie at the DEO daycare but Morgan said that Jess had called and told her that you two were staying home for the day. Is everything ok?”

“Mmhm,” Lena said with another yawn. “Both of us are fine, but I think someone is going through her four-month sleep regression. She was up most of the night.”

“Oh no,” Kara said. 

“It’s ok, we survived,” Lena said with a smile. 

Kara laughed. “Other than that, did everything go ok? Did you have fun?”

“We did, actually,” Lena said. She brought out her phone and showed Kara all the pictures she’d taken chronicling their adventures: an angry Allie in the car (“Baby crinkle!” Kara had exclaimed with a delighted squeal), a selfie of Allie and Lena walking to the park, Allie laying on the blanket watching boys playing soccer, a video selfie of Lena and Allie on the swing. She told Kara about how the rest of the night had gone, from bathtime to the different ways she’d tried getting Allie to sleep. 

“All things considered, it sounds like you two had fun,” Kara said. “I missed being here, but I’m glad you two had some time to yourselves.”

“We missed you,” Lena said, “but it was nice getting some one-on-one time, too. I want to make it a priority, especially as she gets older.”

“I know you will,” Kara said. “So will I. She’s the most important thing in the world.”

“She is,” Lena agreed. 

“Think you’re up for another park trip?” Kara asked. “Allie looked like she loved being on the swings.”

“Of course!” Lena said. “If you get her bag ready, I’ll go change and be ready to go in a few minutes.”

“It’s a plan!” Kara said excitedly.

“Oh, and Kara?” Lena said over her shoulder as she walked out of the room. 

“Yeah, hun?”

“If she’s at it again tonight I’m letting YOU handle it this time.”

Kara laughed. “You got it.”


	9. Nightmares

“Krypton’s dying, Kara.” Her mother’s words echoed in her ear. “There’s nothing we can do to stop it. We can’t save ourselves, but we can save you. You and Kal-El.”

Alura lead her daughter to the awaiting pod that would take her to Earth, where the yellow sun would give her great powers that she could use for good. She had told her parents that she wasn’t afraid, but in truth she was terrified. What would happen to her? What would happen to them?

Zor-El hugged his daughter. “I love you,” he said. “I always have, and I always will. Think of us often.”

Kara felt a lump growing in her throat, and she nodded. “I love you, too. I’ll never forget you.”

Her mother then gave her a hug and a brief kiss on the cheek. “Of all the things I’ve accomplished in my life, it is you that makes me most proud. I love you. Remember us in your dreams.”

Kara choked back a sob. “I love you. I’ll never forget you. Everything I do, I’ll do to make you proud.”

Her parents helped her into the pod. As she was buckling in, she heard a familiar cry. It suddenly hit her. 

“Allie. Allie’s here! No, no, I can’t go! My daughter’s here! Go get her, put her in the pod! Send her to Earth, instead of me!”

A sad look came over her mother’s face. “I’m so sorry, Kara, but it’s you that has to go. You have to protect Kal-El. She stays.”

“No, no, she can’t stay!” Kara said, her panic rising. “She’s just a baby, you have to save her! Let me die here, save her.”

“You know that can’t happen, darling,” Alura said sadly. “It was always supposed to be you.”

“But she’s going to DIE here!” Kara said, sobbing. “She’s my baby, I can’t let her die! Please, please go get her!”

The roof of the pod closed. Kara banged against the glass, trying to break it, but her powers were useless here on Krypton.

“No, no, please! Please, please!” She could still hear the crying from behind the glass. “My baby! I need my baby!”

The pod began to move forward. Kara tried to stop it, tried to get out, but the course was locked in. She was going to Earth, and Allie was staying here on Krypton to die. 

As the pod launched out into space, she could still hear the echo of her daughter’s cry. She was going to die before she had even gotten a chance to live, and there was nothing Kara could do to save her. Behind her, she could hear Krypton exploding.

“No, no, no, no, no!” she cried. 

“Kara.” Someone was saying her name- where was it coming from? “Kara, wake up, darling.”

Kara launched up from the bed, her heart pounding out of her chest. Her breath came in gasps- she was having trouble getting air. A panic attack. 

“Kara, baby, are you okay?” Kara turned her head and saw Lena sitting up in the bed beside her, a look of concern on her face. “You were thrashing around and screaming in your sleep.”

Kara continued gasping for breath. Lena, finally recognizing the panic attack, put a hand on the small of her back. “You’re okay, my love. You’re at home. You’re safe. Everything will be just fine. Can you take a slow breath for me?” 

Kara breathed in slowly.

“Good, baby. Now hold it in while I count. 1… 2… 3… Now, exhale.” 

Kara let the breath out.

They continued this pattern of breathing for a few minutes. Kara was finally able to catch her breath. Lena propped up the pillows so that they could sit up. Kara leaned back against the pillows. Lena snaked her hand up Kara’s shirt and rested it over her heart.

“Your heart’s still pounding hard,” she said, still wearing a concerned look. “Can you tell me what you dreamed? Maybe talking through it would help.”

“I was on Krypton, and my parents were helping me get into the pod. But then I heard crying, and I realized that Allie was there, too. And I told them to get her, to save her instead of me, but they WOULDN’T, they said it had to be me…” Kara’s voice broke, and she felt tears running down her face. Lena gently moved the hand that had been resting over Kara’s heart to her shoulder, where she gently rubbed up and down reassuringly. 

“And then my pod was moving, and Krypton exploded, and Allie was there, and she was DEAD, and…” Kara let out a sob.  
“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry,” Lena said. She moved to hold Kara in her arms. Kara rolled over and cried steadily against Lena’s neck. Lena made soft, soothing noises, stroking her wife’s hair as she cried.

After a few minutes, Kara’s cries lessened. She picked her head up to look at Lena. 

“You okay?” Lena asked, leaning forward to give Kara’s lips a soft kiss. 

“I think so,” Kara said. “It was just so REAL, and so scary.”

“I know,” Lena said. “But you were so brave through it. And look-“ she pointed to the bassinet next to their bed, where Allie was still sleeping soundly. “She’s still asleep. I think what you might’ve heard was her crying to tell me she was hungry. I fed her, so she has a full tummy. She’s warm, and she’s safe, and she’s so very, very loved.”

Kara focused in on her daughter’s heartbeat. It was slow and steady, as was her breathing. 

“I know she’s sleeping, but can I… I’d feel a lot better if I could hold her.”

Lena reached over and gently picked the sleeping baby up, then, careful not to wake her, transferred her into her wife’s waiting arms. 

Kara settled the baby against her, tummy to tummy. Allie let off a sleepy sigh and nuzzled into Kara’s chest. Kara focused on the feel of her daughter’s heart beating against her chest, and of her slow and steady breaths. She bent down to place a kiss on her head, then gently stroked her soft, dark hair. 

Lena rested her head against Kara’s shoulder. “See? She’s just fine.”

“I know,” Kara said. “I just needed proof.” She kissed Allie again. “I love her so much. I would never forgive myself if I let anything like that happen to her.”

“You’re a protector by nature, Kara,” Lena said. “You will never, ever let anything happen to her. She’s probably the safest little girl in the world because she has Kara Danvers as her mama.”

Kara smiled against Allie’s head. “Can you get her pillow? I know it’s not something we want to make a habit of, but I’d really, really like it for her to sleep in the bed with us tonight.”

“Of course,” Lena said. She quietly got out of bed and grabbed Allie’s lounging pillow, and settled it in between herself and Kara. Placing a last kiss on Allie’s head, Kara gently transferred her to her pillow, setting the sleeping baby on her back. 

Once they were certain Allie was settled, Lena cut the light off. 

“Thank you,” Kara whispered. “For helping me through it.”

“You’ve helped me through more than enough nightmares of my own,” Lena said. “I love you so much. No matter what.”

“I love you, too,” Kara said. “I’m so lucky that you two girls are mine.”

“I’d say we’re pretty lucky, too,” Lena said with a smile. She and Kara both had their demons, but with the love and support that they both gave one another, they knew they would be able to work through anything life threw their way.


	10. "Winn"ing at Babysitting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara asks Winn to babysit Allie, and unexpected adventures follow.

“Winn, you are a LIFESAVER,” Kara said as she held her daughter in one hand and tried to gather her papers and notebook in another. 

“Hey, you know I’m always down for hanging out with my favorite niece!” Winn said. He moved over towards Kara. “Here, you get your stuff together, I’ll take the baby.”

“Again, lifesaver,” Kara said as she handed Allie over to Winn. Allie was six months old, and she had started recognizing her favorite people, and Winn definitely topped that list. He was the “fun uncle” who got on the floor and played with her, tickled her, and blew raspberries on her belly. She gave him a wide, toothless smile as he settled her against his shoulder.

“I should be back by 2 or 3,” Kara said as she placed her notebook in her bag. Kara had gotten a scoop for an article that she’d been working on for CatCo, and it was vital that she pursue it that morning. She would usually have taken Allie to the DEO’s daycare, but it was a Saturday and it was closed. Her other go-to caregivers were also gone. Lena and Jess were on a 2-day business trip to Metropolis and were returning that afternoon, and Alex had taken Hannah to spend the weekend in Midvale with Eliza. Kara had called Winn in a state of semi-panic to see if he could watch Allie for a few hours. 

“I just gave her a bottle less than five minutes ago, so she shouldn’t need to eat for a while. She’ll get really fussy when she does, so you’ll definitely know when she needs to eat. She can eat solids now, so you can give her a mashed avocado if you want, and I’ve already got some mashed sweet potato in the fridge that you can heat up, just make sure it’s not too hot. And there’s some bags of Lena’s milk in the freezer that you can thaw and warm up if you just want to give her a bottle instead. Just test the milk on your wrist first to make sure it’s not too hot.”

Winn smiled. “You act like I’ve never taken care of a baby before. We got this, don’t we little girl?” He smiled at Allie and she cooed happily.

“I know, I know, I just want to make sure you’re prepared,” Kara replied. “OH- she loves going on outings, so you can take her somewhere if you don’t want to be cooped up here all day. If I were you I’d just put her in the Ergo carrier instead of the stroller, it’s easier and less of a hassle if you’re not going anywhere too far away. Her diaper bag’s all packed, too, so you shouldn’t have to worry about that.”

Kara looked around frantically. “Ok, I think I got everything.” 

She walked over to Winn and Allie and gave her daughter a kiss. “Be a good girl for Uncle Winn today.” Allie raised her hand to Kara’s face and Kara kissed it quickly.

She turned to Winn. “Don’t be afraid to call or text if you need anything. If it’s an emergency, I’ll fly over as fast as I can. But I think everything will go smoothly, right?”

“We’re gonna be great!” Winn said. He and Allie walked Kara to the door, and he raised Allie’s hand in a little wave. “Say, ‘Bye, Mama! We’ll see you soon. I love you!’”

Kara turned around and blew Allie a kiss. “I love you, too! And I love YOU, Winn. You’re the best!”

When the door closed, Winn looked at Allie. “So… it’s just you and me now.”

She blinked at him, then smiled again and tried to put her hand in his mouth. 

He turned his head. “No, no, you don’t want your hands in there. You don’t even WANT to know what else has been in there.”

Allie grunted when Winn gently pried her hand off his mouth, but didn’t seem too put out. 

Winn’s stomach growled. He looked at Allie again. “I haven’t had anything to eat yet, so I’m starving. How’d you like to be my date for brunch? I know you’re not technically a millennial, but you’re an honorary millennial, and that’s a really millennial thing to do.”

Allie giggled in response.

“Ok, that’s a unanimous yes. Let’s put you in that baby carrier thing and hit the road.”

Winn found the Ergo carrier, but it took him 10 minutes and a detailed YouTube tutorial to figure out how to actually put the thing on. But once he had Allie in the carrier, facing outward so that she could see everything as they walked. Winn grabbed the diaper bag, as well as a tiny hat and sunglasses for the baby, before putting on some sunglasses of his own.

As he walked down the street to a nearby café, the first thing he realized was that the baby got A LOT of attention. Many passersby, mostly women, oohed and ahhed over the baby. 

“You’re not a bad accessory to have around,” Winn told her. Allie gurgled happily in response.

When they got to the café, Winn asked for an outdoor table with an umbrella so that he and Allie could enjoy sitting outside. They didn’t have any highchairs, so Winn would have to make do with Allie sitting on his lap. She wasn’t a terribly wiggly baby, so he didn’t think it would be too difficult to hold her while he ate.

There was a group of young women sitting at the table next to them. One of them, a pretty brunette, turned to Winn with a kind smile.

“Are you on a daddy-daughter date?”

Winn smiled back at her. “Nope- uncle-niece date!”

“She’s precious,” the woman said. “How old is she?”

“She turned six months about two weeks ago,” Winn said. “Her name’s Allie.”

“Hi Allie!” she said in response. Allie gave her the now-famous Danvers smile. “Awwwww,” the woman said, placing her hand over her heart. “Sorry for bothering you- I nanny part time and have a soft spot for cute babies.”

“No worries!” Winn said with a smile. “Allie’s the cutest baby ever, so I don’t blame you.”

She gave Winn a shy smile, then turned back to her friends to eat their meal, which had just arrived.

Winn held the menu out in front of him. Allie grasped on to it. 

“So, what looks good to you, Peanut? The Eggs Benedict? Nah- too rich. Pancakes? Too sweet. Hmmm… a Western omelet sounds good. What do you think about that?” Allie cooed happily. “I thought you’d agree.”

When the waiter came by, Winn ordered a Western omelet with home fries and bacon on the side, as well as a glass of orange juice. A sudden thought struck him. Kara said Allie could eat solid food now, and she suggested mashed avocado. It might be fun for them to eat together. “Could I maybe order avocado toast without the toast?”

The waiter looked slightly confused. “So… just avocado?”

“Yeah!” Winn said. “And if I could get it in a bowl that’d be great.”

Allie got a bit restless as they waited for their food, so Winn took one of her toys out of the diaper bag for her to play with. 

Their food was out quickly. Winn mashed up the avocado into a fine paste, then put a tiny bit on a spoon for Allie. 

“Ok, let’s see how this goes…” he put the spoon up to her mouth and helped her eat the avocado. She smacked her lips happily.

“That’s good, huh? Let’s try some more!” Winn fed her a few more spoonfuls before he realized his major mistake.

Winn had forgotten that Kara had fed Allie a bottle less than 5 minutes before he came to the apartment, so Allie’s stomach was already filled with milk and probably couldn’t take any more food. After she ate the fourth spoonful of avocado, she made a strange gurgling sound. It took Winn about a second to realize that she was about to throw up- which was about a second too late. 

Before he could grab a napkin to catch anything she threw up, Allie projectile vomited a large amount of a green, frothy, milky, foul-smelling substance. It got all over the table, Winn’s hands and Allie herself. 

“Oh, God…” Winn said, still a bit in shock. Allie, covered in her own vomit and seemingly scared by the experience, started to cry. Winn had no idea what to do, and he could tell that everyone on the patio was staring at them.

“Okay, what do I do?” he said to himself, trying to come up with some type of plan, but blanking entirely.

“Hey,” came a soft voice beside him. It was the pretty brunette from the neighboring table. “Do you need some help?”

“Um… yeah. I definitely need some help.”

“Okay,” she said. “Is it ok if I look through the diaper bag? They probably have some wet wipes in there.”

“That’s fine,” Winn said, trying to clean Allie’s mouth off with a napkin while simultaneously trying to comfort her and get her to stop crying.  
The woman handed him some wet wipes. “Here, you take care of your hands, I’ll clean the baby. No offense, but you’re getting more vomit on her because your hands are still dirty.”

“Oh,” Winn said, blushing slightly. He should have thought of that. Winn wiped off his hands as the woman wiped Allie’s mouth and neck. She was whispering soothing words to her, and Allie quickly stopped crying.

“See, that’s so much better not to be covered in all that yucky stuff, isn’t it?” she said. She turned back to Winn. “We need to get her out of that dirty onesie, though. I saw that they had an extra outfit in the diaper bag and a wet bag to put the dirty clothes in. Would you be ok with me helping to change her?”

“Yeah,” Winn replied. He was glad for her help- he had no idea how to change a baby’s outfit. 

She quickly got Allie out of the dirty outfit, and ran a wet wipe over her chest and shoulders to get rid of any remnants of vomit. Winn then helped her to put Allie into her new outfit, which was, ironically, a pink-striped onesie with “Brunch Buddy” written on it, along with navy leggings. 

“See? You’re all nice and clean now!” the woman told Allie happily. Allie smiled at her.

“I can’t even begin to thank you enough for this,” Winn said. “Can I buy your meal for you?”

The woman smiled at him. “I actually just paid.”

“Oh,” Winn said, slightly deflated. 

“But… I wouldn’t be opposed if you wanted to make it up to me another time. Maybe coffee on Monday?”

Winn perked up at that. “Yeah, that’d be… that’d be great.”

The woman stuck out her hand. “I’m Kate.”

“Winn,” he said as he shook her hand. 

She handed him her phone so that he could put his number in, then she sent him a text with the message being “Kate from brunch ☺”. 

“I’ll text you later this afternoon to solidify the plan,” he said with a smile as she grabbed her bag to head out. 

“I’ll look forward to it,” Kate said with a smile.

“Thanks so much for your help,” Winn said. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t here.”

“I’ve been there before with the kids I nanny,” Kate said. “It’s the least I could do. Plus, I got a coffee date with a nice guy out of it, so the outcome wasn’t too bad.”

Winn smiled. “Not bad at all. I’ll see you Monday.”

She smiled back at him, and waved at Allie as she left. 

Winn looked at Allie. “Did that really just happen?” She stared back with wide eyes. “I’m guessing it did. I think you’ve replaced your mama as my #1 wingwoman, Miss Alura.”

The café graciously made Winn another omelet, since his first meal had been covered in vomit. He finished his meal, and then put Allie back in the carrier to walk home. 

When he got back to the apartment, he saw that Lena was already home. 

“Hey! You’re back!” he said.

“We got in earlier than expected,” she said with a smile. “Kara told me that you were watching the baby.” She moved over to Winn and Allie and helped Winn to take off the carrier. She picked Allie up and gave her a kiss, before wrinkling her nose a bit and pausing to sniff her. 

“Yeah, sorry if she smells bad,” Winn said. “We had a bit of a puke situation at breakfast.” He relayed the story to Lena, and she began laughing softly.

“Don’t feel bad, Kara had the exact same thing happen a couple of weeks ago. She tried to give her carrots too soon after I’d nursed her, and she ended up with orange vomit everywhere. It happens to the best of us from time to time!”

“I’m glad that I’m not the only one it’s happened to,” Winn said, slightly relieved. 

“That’s the thing I’ve learned about parenthood,” Lena said. “You make mistakes, you learn from them, and you move forward, and they still love you for it, anyway.” She gave Allie another kiss, then wrinkled her nose again. “Ok, I’m sorry baby, you smell really bad. I’m gonna have to give you a bath.”

Winn smiled. “I’ll take that as my cue to leave. I really did love hanging out with her today- she’s so much fun.”

“We’ll definitely be doing this again,” Lena said. “She loves her Uncle Winn.”

“And I love her,” Winn said with a smile. “Plus, I’m a pretty good babysitter, right? You could say that I “Winn” at babysitting.”

Lena groaned at his bad pun, but still smiled at him. “Yes, I’d say you do, indeed.”


	11. Lazy Saturdays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This fic is all domestic fluff, but this chapter is especially domestic and especially fluffy.

Lena woke up to the morning sun filtering through their blinds and immediately noticed the warm weight of her naked wife draped across her. Kara’s head was resting on her chest, and she could feel her breath coming slow and steady against her neck. She gently ran her hand through Kara’s hair, and smiled as she thought about their activities the night before. 

At eight months old, Allie had finally started sleeping in her own room at night. In the time that she’d been sleeping in their room, Kara and Lena had to get a bit creative with their sex life. For the first couple of months after Allie’s birth, Lena had no libido whatsoever. She was incredibly sore from giving birth, her breasts were swollen and leaked constantly (and she nearly killed Kara whenever she tried to get handsy with them), and both Lena and Kara were so exhausted by being woken up every two hours that sex was the last thing on their minds. When Lena’s libido finally returned, she and Kara had to make due with midday sex while Allie took a nap in her nursery, fast sex in the shower before Lena left for work, short romps in the living room when before-bed cuddles turned steamy, and even a few quickies in the private bathroom in Lena’s L Corp office when Supergirl “just happened” to drop by. For Lena, it was such a joy and a relief to finally be able to slowly and thoroughly make love to her wife in their own bed.

Lena placed a kiss on Kara’s head before glancing at the video baby monitor on her bedside table. She noticed that Allie was stirring, and she’d be awake soon and ready for breakfast. She gently tried to extricate herself from under her sleeping wife, but Kara groaned, nuzzled into Lena’s neck, and tightened her grip around Lena’s waist. 

“Stay,” she mumbled. “I’m comfy.”

“I know,” Lena whispered. “But our daughter’s about two minutes from waking up. I was going to get her and bring her in for some snuggles before breakfast.”

She felt Kara smile against her neck. “Okay, I take it back. Allie snuggles are a perfectly good reason for you to get up.”

“I thought you’d think that,” Lena said, placing another kiss on Kara’s head. Kara rolled over so that Lena could get out of bed.

Lena padded over to where her nightgown lay on the floor from when she’d tossed it over her head the night before. Kara’s soft tshirt and sleep shorts were on the floor next to it, and she tossed them onto the bed. 

“Wait a minute,” Kara said. 

Lena looked over at her. “Wait for what?”

Kara was sitting up in bed now, and Lena still caught her breath every time she saw her, amazed that this gorgeous goddess was actually her wife. 

“Wait before putting on that nightgown,” Kara said. “I want to stare at you for a while.”

Lena blushed a bit. Even with her wife, she was still a little self-conscious about her post-baby body. She’d lost most of the weight she gained while pregnant, but her body still looked different than it did before the baby. Her stomach was soft and a bit squishy, and had a few faded stretch marks on it. Her breasts were a whole range of different shapes and sizes, depending on whether Allie had nursed or Lena had pumped recently or not. 

But Kara loved every inch of Lena’s new body. 

“How could I not love it?” she’d said the night before as she kneaded the soft skin of Lena’s breasts and hips. “I love it because it grew our baby. And I love it because YOU live in it, and I love YOU more than anything. Plus it’s the sexiest body I’ve ever seen.” And then she’d shown Lena EXACTLY how much she loved it. 

Lena shyly smiled back at her wife. “Have you gotten your fill? Can I put my nightgown on now?”

“Fine, fine…” Kara said as she slipped her own shirt and shorts on. 

Lena slipped the nightgown over her head and made her way down the hall to Allie’s nursery. She quietly opened the door and walked into the room. 

Allie still hadn’t woken up fully. Lena leaned over the crib to rub her stomach softly as she woke up more. When Allie seemed more awake, Lena spoke to her.

“Hi my sweet girl,” she whispered. “Did you have good dreams?”

Allie gave Lena a slow, sleepy smile. Her bottom two teeth were just coming in, and they peeked out like little grains of rice on her gums. She reached up her chubby little hands for her mommy, and Lena picked her up from the crib. 

“Good morning, sunshine,” Lena said. Allie nuzzled into Lena’s neck, and Lena placed a series of small kisses against her head. 

“You’re so much like your mama when you’re sleepy,” she said. “Such a little cuddle bug.” 

She carried Allie to the changing table and changed her dirty diaper, quietly humming a calming song as she did it. She put Allie into a clean sleeper, and then brought her back into her and Kara’s room, and they climbed into bed with Kara. Lena laid down on her back with Allie resting on her chest, her shoulders touching her wife’s. Kara placed her hand on Allie’s back and rubbed it gently. 

“Hey baby girl,” Kara whispered sweetly, a big smile stretched across her face. Allie turned her face from Lena’s neck to look at Kara and smiled back at her, her little smile an exact replica of Kara’s.

“Ma ma ma,” she said, reaching out to touch Kara’s face. Kara’s nose and eyes crinkled up happily; Allie had only started saying “Mama” the week before, and it was still a new delight for both Kara and Lena to hear it. Kara was “Mama” and Lena was “Mommy,” but Allie made “Ma” sounds to both of them. They had both gotten a bit teary-eyed the first time she did it.

“That’s right,” Lena whispered. “That’s Mama.”

Kara brought Allie’s hand to her mouth and gave it a kiss. Allie made a series of happy coos. 

“I love you so much, Alura Alexandra,” Kara whispered, placing a kiss on Allie’s head. She pulled back and looked at Lena, who was smiling at them.

“What?”

“Just watching my two girls,” Lena said. “My favorite sight ever.”

“Mine too,” Kara said, leaning forward to give Lena a kiss. 

The little family spent the next 30 minutes in bed. The three of them dozed off, with Allie nestled on Lena’s chest and Kara’s hand resting on her back. They finally woke up when Allie, hungry and ready to start her day, began to get fussy.

Kara yawned. “I guess that’s our cue to get up.” She gently touched the defined line between Allie’s eyes and smiled. “Awwww. Baby crinkle.” She turned to Lena. “You get her breakfast ready, and I’ll get YOUR breakfast ready. What do you want?”

Lena sat up and arranged Allie so that she could nurse. “I don’t know… surprise me.”

“Oooooh, those are dangerous words!” Kara said with a smile. She gave Lena a kiss, then headed to the kitchen. She cut up fruit and made a mix for “healthier” oat pancakes that Lena liked. While she was cooking the pancakes, Lena finished feeding the baby and carried her into the kitchen. 

“Mmmmmm, smells good!” she said, coming beside Kara and placing a quick kiss on her neck. “Oat pancakes?”

“Yep!” Kara said. “With fruit salad and coffee.”

“You’re the best,” Lena said. She strapped Allie into her high chair and then helped Kara carry their breakfast items to the table. Kara gave Allie one small pancake, sans syrup, and cut it up into tiny pieces so that she could munch on it.

“Look at our big girl!” Kara said, watching Allie pick up the pieces of pancake and nibble on them. Allie LOVED being called a big girl, and she smiled widely, showing off her new teeth. 

“I can’t believe how fast she’s growing,” Lena said. “It seems like she was just born yesterday, and now she’s eating real food and starting to say actual words.”

“I know,” Kara said. “And she’s SO CLOSE to crawling.”

“I think she could do it if she wanted to,” Lena said. “She just hasn’t quite figured it out yet.”

“What do you think about that?” Kara asked Allie in a silly voice. “Are you gonna be a woman on the move soon?” Allie giggled in response. “MY theory is that she knows how to crawl, she just can’t do it because her thighs are too chunky.” Allie was an adorably chunky baby, and both Kara and Lena loved to playfully nibble on the fat rolls on her arms, legs, and tummy, making her squeal in delight. 

“Is that it?” Lena asked Allie. “Are you just a chunky baby?” She reached out to tickle Allie, and she squealed gleefully. “We love our chunky baby! We love our girl!” Allie continued laughing. 

Lena turned to smile at Kara. These were her favorite kind of mornings- lazy mornings, with nothing to do but cuddle and bond with her wife and daughter. They were the kind of mornings she’d never had growing up, and that she never thought she would ever have. But meeting Kara Danvers had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. Kara gave Lena light, joy, fun, and most importantly, the loving family that she had always wanted.


	12. Sick Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allie gets sick for the first time.

Kara woke at 3:00 in the morning to the sound of coughing coming from the video monitor on her bedside table. She sat up and grabbed the monitor to look more closely at it. Allie was sitting up in her crib, and when her coughing subsided, the whimpering started. Even on the tiny monitor, it was obvious that the baby was sick.

“Uh oh,” Kara whispered to herself. She had been afraid this was going to happen. Allie hadn’t acted like herself the day before. She was typically a good-natured, sunny baby, a little mini-Kara, who giggled often and usually had a smile on her face. But yesterday she’d been unusually fussy, didn’t seem very interested in eating the meals Kara had offered her, and seemed to only get comfortable if she was being held and snuggled. She had been a bit snuffly, and Kara commented to Lena that she hoped she wasn’t getting a cold. 

Kara climbed out of bed and quietly walked into Allie’s nursery. She flipped on the light and made her way to the crib. 

“Oh, baby girl,” she said sadly when she saw Allie. Poor Allie’s nose was dripping with snot, and she was still snuffling, as if it was hard for her to breathe through her nose. Her cheeks were red, and Kara would bet that she was running a fever. When she saw Kara, she reached out her hands for her mother.

“Mama,” she said, her little voice pitiful. She started coughing again. 

“C’mere, sweetie,” Kara said, picking her up and cuddling her close. Kara could feel how warm she was even through her sleeper. “Let’s go take you to Mommy and see if we can get you feeling better.” 

Kara, as a Kryptonian, was invulnerable to human illnesses, but her daughter was only half-Kryptonian. It was unclear what, if any, Kryptonian powers she would exhibit, and if she did have any, she wasn’t showing them as an infant. So Allie, like all babies, was susceptible to illness, and she seemed to have picked up her first one. 

Kara carried Allie into their room. Lena, having heard what was happening through the baby monitor, was up and had already turned the light on. 

“Is everything ok?” she asked.

“We’ve got a sick little girl on our hands,” Kara said with a sigh. She sat down on the bed with Allie.

“Mama,” Allie said when she saw Lena, using the same pitiful little voice she’d used when Kara came to get her. 

“I’m so sorry, sweet girl,” Lena said sadly. “You must feel yucky.” Her heart almost broke when she heard Allie snuffling and trying to breathe. 

“Can you hold her?” Kara asked. “I’m going to go get the thermometer and some Kleenex.”

“Of course,” Lena said as Kara passed Allie over to her. 

When Allie got into Lena’s arms, she immediately started grabbing at Lena’s tank top, a clear indication that she wanted to nurse. That was unusual for her, since Lena had managed to mostly wean her off middle of the night feedings. Lena thought that her desire was coming out of a need for comfort, rather than a need to eat. She settled back against the pillows to nurse her baby, rubbing her back gently and softly singing a lullaby to her to provide even more comfort.

Kara came back a few minutes later, her hands full of supplies. Lena whispered, “Ok, baby, that’s enough for now,” and plucked Allie off her breast, causing her to cry softly. “I know, you don’t want to stop, but we’ll do it again in a little bit. We need to give you some things that will help you feel better.”

Kara took the baby thermometer that they’d never used before and pressed it against Allie’s forehead. 

She hissed through her teeth a bit when the temperature came through. “She’s running a 101 degree fever. Poor Allie. She must feel absolutely rotten.” She bent down to kiss her, and Lena kissed her too. 

“We’re going to do our best to get you feeling better,” Kara told her. She got a syringe full of Baby Tylenol to give her. She managed to get Allie to swallow the medicine, but Allie cried a bit after taking it. 

“I know, it tastes bad,” Kara said. “But it’ll make you feel better, I promise.” 

Kara then started working on Allie’s stuffy nose. She wiped her nose with a Kleenex, which proved to be a challenge, as Allie clearly was not a fan of having her nose wiped and kept turning her head from side to side. Kara then got a bulb syringe and tried to suck out as much of the gunk as she could, but it was harder than one would expect. Again, Allie was not a fan, and finally her crying got to be so much that Lena said “That’s probably good enough for now.”

Allie started pawing at Lena’s chest again, so Lena nursed her while Kara grabbed her phone and started looking up tips for caring for a sick baby. 

“It’s probably just a virus, so they can’t give her any antibiotics,” Kara said. “We just need to keep on top of the fever and her symptoms.”

“How does it say to do that?” Lena asked, patting Allie’s bottom softly as she ate.

“Give her Baby Tylenol every few hours,” Kara said. “But we don’t want to do it TOO much, either. Other tips are washing her with a cool rag or giving her a cool bath. And skin-to-skin contact should help, too. I’m going to call Alex and Jess at 7 to see if they have any other suggestions. I remember they went through this when Hannah was about Allie’s age.”

“I have a meeting at 9 that I’ve got to make, but I think I’ll come home after that to help you take care of her,” Lena said. 

“That would be amazing,” Kara said. “It says here that she’s probably going to want to breastfeed more than usual, so it’d be nice to have you here. She’ll probably less fussy that way.”

Lena looked down at her daughter, and softly combed her fingers through her dark curls. Allie had started to get a bit more hair on her head, and it was coming in a bit wavy, like Kara’s. She hated to see her feeling as badly as she was. 

After a few more minutes of nursing, Allie’s eyes began to close, and when Lena finally felt the suckling stop, she gently took Allie from her breast and cradled her in her arms. “Do you think she should stay in here with us?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Kara said. She got up to get the Dock a Tot pillow that they put Allie in when she was on their bed, and put it between them so that one of them could easily grab her if she woke up needing care or comforting. Lena gently laid Allie, who was snoring softly because of her stuffy nose, on her back on the pillow. 

“Poor thing,” Lena whispered. “Do you think she picked it up at daycare?”

“Who knows,” Kara said. “She could have gotten it at daycare, or the library, or the store. Anywhere that there’s people.” Kara yawned. “Hopefully she’ll sleep until morning so that WE can get some sleep too. I have a feeling we’ve got a long day in front of us.”

**

Alex stopped by Kara and Lena’s apartment before work at 8:00, carrying a bag of supplies.

Kara had called her an hour earlier. Allie had only slept for another hour before she was up coughing again, and she’d been up for hours coughing, sneezing, and crying. Kara had carried her into the shower, hoping the steam would help her breathe better. The steam had seemed to help for a bit, but she got worse once they got out. By the time she’d called Alex, Kara was exhausted, scared, and out of ideas for how to make her baby feel better.

Alex let herself in with her key. Kara was holding a crying Allie, bouncing her up and down and trying to calm her. Allie was making sad snuffling sounds as she breathed, and her little cheeks were bright red with fever. Kara was rubbing her back gently.

“Awww, Allie Cat!” Alex said when she saw them. “You’re the saddest little girl I’ve seen in a while.”

“She feels terrible, Alex,” Kara said. “She can’t get settled, she’s coughing and sneezing all the time, and her fever’s back, but I don’t want to give her too much medicine.”

“Luckily you’ve got Aunt Alex here to save the day,” Alex said with a smile. She sat on the couch beside Kara and started pulling things out of her bag.

“Tissues with lotion. These are a lifesaver- her nose is probably going to get sore from being rubbed so much, and these help soothe it. A humidifier- again, this thing is great. And the best thing of all-“ she pulled out a strange device with a tube attached to it- “the Nosefrida!”

“What the heck is that thing?” Kara ask.

“It cleans her nose out better than that weird bulb thing they give you at the hospital,” Alex said. “You just stick this part in her nose, and suck on the straw here-“

“Oh gross NO! I am NOT sucking up her snot. That is disgusting.”

“You don’t suck up her snot, stupid, there’s a filter,” Alex said. “It just gets it out better. Here, I’ll show you.” She quickly demonstrated on Allie, and Kara saw that she had a point- it did work much better than the bulb she’d been using. She grudgingly agreed to try it. 

“Just clean it out and you’re good to go,” Alex said. “This was the best thing we got for when Hannah was sick. We used it all the way up until she was 3 and she was able to blow her nose by herself. It’s great.”

“Any other tips about what to do?”

“Keep an eye on the fever. If it gets higher, or she seems to be having a lot of trouble breathing, take her to the doctor. And just love on her today,” Alex said. “Cuddling may not do anything to make her better more quickly, but it’ll at least help her feel more comfortable.” 

Kara bent down to kiss Allie’s head. “Don’t have to worry about that- we’ve been doing a lot of snuggling.”

“Good,” Alex said with a smile. “Well, I’ve gotta get to work. I’ll make sure Supergirl isn’t called in today- she’s got a sick little girl who needs her more than National City does.”

Kara smiled. “Thanks, Alex. You really are the best.”

“I know,” Alex said with a wink. “Call me if you need anything else!”

“I will,” Kara said. “I’m just going to focus on doing anything I can to get her better.”

**

Lena hurried home as fast as she could after the board meeting. Jess had given her some more tips for caring for a sick baby, and had told her that Alex was going to stop by before work to give them some supplies. Lena hoped that with the supplies and knowledge of how to get Allie feeling better, they’d be able to have an easier day and night ahead. It had broken her heart to see Allie feeling so bad, and she was willing to do anything to see her baby feeling better again.

When she walked into the family room, Lena let out a soft “awwwwwww” at the sight in front of her. Kara was sprawled out on the couch, fast asleep, with Allie lying on top of her. Her hand rested protectively on Allie’s back to keep her from rolling off. Allie was also asleep. She was clutching the strap of Kara’s tank top, and her face was adorably smooshed against Kara’s chest. She was still snoring slightly, but she sounded a bit better than she had earlier that morning. She was only wearing a diaper, and her sleeper was thrown over the arm of the couch. Lena guessed that she’d been hot with a fever, and Kara had taken off her pajamas to help cool her down. Lena quietly walked over to the sleeping pair, and gently touched Allie’s forehead. She thankfully wasn’t running a fever anymore, so Lena softly draped a blanket over her wife and daughter so that Allie wouldn’t get too cold. 

Kara and Allie slept for over an hour. Lena got started on some work on her laptop. Allie started coughing in her sleep, which woke Kara up. She tried to sit up without waking the baby, hoping to help her breathe a little better.

“Hey,” she said when she saw Lena. “How long have you been here?”

“Since about 10,” Lena said with a smile. “You both looked like you needed the rest. How’s she been?”

“It was pretty rough until around 9,” Kara said. “I don’t know if that’s when the medicine kicked in or she was just too worn out to keep fighting sleep anymore, but she fell asleep around then, and I guess I followed not too long after.”

Allie coughed again, and these coughs woke her up. She came out of sleep crying a bit. Kara swooped in to give her warm kisses, making soft “Shhhhhh-ing” sounds and telling her that she was ok.

“I’m sorry, baby girl,” Lena said sadly, walking over to the couch. She joined Kara in giving kisses and reassurances to her daughter. 

Allie started grabbing at Lena’s chest, so Kara transferred her over to Lena’s arms so that she could feed her. 

“Seeing her like this is so much harder than I thought it would be,” Lena muttered as she looked down at Allie. Lena grabbed the tiny hand that clutched her shirt so that she could rub it and place reassuring kisses to it. “When I was sick, Lillian always accused me of playing it up, of faking it to be worse than I actually was. That’s how I know she didn’t love me- how could you act like that, seeing someone you love in pain or not feeling well? It’s breaking my heart, seeing her like this. I just want to make it all better.”

Kara looked at her wife with a sad but love-filled expression. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Lee. And I’m so glad that Allie never will- she has always known we love her and want to take care of her, no matter what.” Kara rubbed Allie’s hand, too.

“It’s so hard for me to see her like this, too,” Kara said. “I know it’s just a little thing, this cold, but it’s still hard. I just want to protect her, but this is something I can’t protect her from. I wish we could just… make a bubble and keep her in it.”

“We can’t protect her from everything,” Lena said. “As hard as it is to admit it, it’s part of life… getting sick, getting hurt, getting your feelings hurt. She’ll get stronger from it all, no matter how hard it is for her moms.”

“I know,” Kara said with a sigh. “This is the not-fun part of being a mom, I guess.”

“Yep,” Lena said. “And we’ve got even more fun illnesses to deal with later on- just wait until she gets her first stomach bug.”

Kara groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

“We’ll get through this,” Lena said. “Together.”

“Together,” Kara said, grabbing her wife’s hand and kissing it softly. 

**

And the family DID get through it together. It wasn’t easy- two more sleepless nights with a sick, fussy, coughing baby. But before long, Allie’s smiles and giggles were back. She was breathing better, and her coughing stopped. 

It was just a small bump in the road for the new family, and they all knew there would be larger bumps to weather in the future. But it showed Kara and Lena that, no matter what life threw at them, they would get through it, and they would get through it TOGETHER. The El family motto stood true- El Mayarah. Stronger Together.


	13. Someone to Come Home To

Before

Lena glanced at the clock on her office wall. How was it already 11:00? It seemed like it was just 7:00 the last time she looked at the clock. She rubbed her tired eyes before turning her attention back to the product designs on her desk. 

Suddenly, she heard a tapping on the window outside her office that led to the balcony. She looked up and saw a familiar figure clad in a blue suit with a red cape around her shoulders. Supergirl.

Lena smiled as she walked over to the window and unlocked it. When she opened the window, Supergirl smoothly climbed into the office.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” Lena asked, the smile still on her face. Supergirl’s late-night visits, although not common, had been happening once or twice every couple of months, and Lena found that she actually quite enjoyed them. Supergirl was much different than one would expect from her public persona- she was thoughtful, funny, and a great conversationalist. She was interested in science and technology, and had once shared that she had been a member of the Science Guild on Krypton. She was interested in what Lena was working on, and actually gave good advice and tips from time to time.

Supergirl smiled back at Lena. “I was flying by and saw that the lights in your office were still on. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Lena cocked her eyebrow. “Have you been keeping tabs on me?” she asked with only a hint of flirtation in her voice.

Lena was surprised to see a slight blush come to Supergirl’s cheeks in a way that seemed familiar. She couldn’t place why it seemed familiar or where she knew it from, but she brushed it aside. 

Supergirl shook her head adamantly. “No, no, nothing like that, that would be…. No.”

“I was just teasing,” Lena said reassuringly.

“Oh,” Supergirl said, letting out a relieved laugh that also seemed strangely familiar. “I totally knew that.” 

“Of course you did,” Lena said with a wink.

“Isn’t it late for you to still be working?” Supergirl asked. “It’s Friday night! You should be out doing something fun.”

“The only think waiting for me outside of this office is a large, empty apartment,” Lena said with a sigh. Her four bedroom, two bathroom apartment was far too large for her, and it was so empty that it actually echoed. “I much prefer actually working on something productive here. It makes everything feel less lonely.” She mentally kicked herself for adding the last part. She didn’t want Supergirl to think she was desperate for companionship (although… she was).

“You don’t have to be alone all the time, Lena,” Supergirl said, a slight frown on her face. 

“Who do I have, though?” Lena asked. “My father is dead, my brother’s mad, and both he and my adoptive mother are in prison. I have no one here in National City.”

“I think you do,” Supergirl said. “You’d have them if you let them in.”

“Are you referring to yourself?” Lena asked. She and Supergirl had developed a definite affinity for one another, but Lena wouldn’t classify it as a friendship. 

“Well, yes, there’s me… but not me, because I’m not…” She shook her head. “I’m complicated. I don’t count. But I know for a fact that Kara Danvers thinks very highly of you. She’s told me, multiple times.”

“Kara Danvers…” Lena said thoughtfully. “She’s a good egg, that one.”

“I think she would do something with you, socially I mean, if you asked.”

“You think so?” Lena said. 

“I do,” Supergirl said, nodding firmly. “She’s like you, in more ways than you’d think. She’s adopted too, did you know that?”

“I don’t think I did,” Lena said.

Supergirl nodded. “She is. You should ask her about it sometime. And she’s lonely too, I think.”

“Really? Kara Danvers, lonely?” Lena was a bit surprised by that. Kara was like a walking sunbeam- positive, fun, smiley, always seeing the best in people. If social media was any indication (and Lena would never admit to the many hours she’d spent stalking Kara on social media), Kara had a core group of friends that she enjoyed doing things with. 

“There’s more to Kara than she lets on. I- SHE has a lot that she’s kept hidden for so long. It’s hard for her to let people in. But once you’re in, you’re in for life. And I know she’d let you in. She likes you, and trusts you.”

“She trusts me?” Lena said. “I don’t think anyone’s said they trust me before. No one trusts Luthors.”

“Well, she DOES,” Supergirl said adamantly, the force of it surprising Lena a bit. “And I do, too. Always.”

Lena gave Supergirl a soft smile. “Well, to be trusted by two women who I think so highly of is a truly wonderful compliment.” 

Supergirl smiled back. “And I think she’d like for you to let her in, too. Anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend, Lena.”

Lena almost bit back with her typical response of “Luthors don’t have friends, we have minions,” but she held back when she saw the sincerity in Supergirl’s eyes. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” Supergirl said. 

The two of them stood in companionable silence for a few moments before a text message notification rang out. Supergirl pulled a small phone from a pocket in her skirt (because OF COURSE her skirt had pockets!) and checked it quickly.

“Is duty calling?” Lena asked.

“Armed robbery off of Broad,” Supergirl said with a sigh. She looked at Lena carefully. “Remember what I said. You have people who want to care about you. You don’t have to be alone anymore.”

“I will,” Lena said, giving Supergirl a soft smile. 

“I’ll see you soon,” Supergirl said with a smile, before climbing out onto the balcony. In her classic “up, up, and away” fashion, she took off into the night sky. Lena watched out the window as she flew away.   
She took a deep breath… maybe Supergirl was on to something. Maybe there were people who wanted to be her friend. 

She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she landed on the name she was looking for- Kara Danvers.

Lena: “Hey… I know this is kind of last minute, but do you want to get dinner tomorrow?”

It was another 45 minutes before Kara responded. 

Kara: “I can’t tomorrow. I’m having a game night at my place with Alex, Maggie, Winn, and James. But we would LOVE for you to join us! It’s really casual and a lot of fun.”

Lena paused- normally she would have declined, but she was trying to make a new life here in National City. She couldn’t go back to her old habits.

Lena: “I’d love to! Can I bring anything?”

Kara: “Awesome!!!!!!!!! ☺ ☺ ☺ Bring any snacks and drinks you want, but it’s YOU we really want you to bring!”

Lena smiled at Kara’s response. It looked as if Lena Luthor was fast on her way to making a friend- several friends, actually. Maybe Supergirl was right- she didn’t have to be alone any longer. 

**

Now

Lena walked into the door of their apartment at 7:30. While the old Lena Luthor would have considered 7:30 to be early, the new Lena Luthor thought 7:30 was far too late to be home. It was two hours later than she was normally home, but she had a proposal to finish that just couldn’t wait. 

She hated missing dinner with Kara and Allie, and the after-dinner playtime that they always had with their daughter. They always traded off on bathtime and kitchen cleanup duty, and they both came into the nursery at bedtime to read quietly to Allie before Kara sang a lullaby or two while rocking her to help her get sleepy. After the story was read and songs were sung, Lena held her and rocked her as she nursed to sleep. It was quiet, and sweet, and Lena loved every minute of it. 

She glanced around the apartment, and noted how different it was from the empty, cold place it had been when she was single. A fluffy blanket lay draped across the couch, and Allie’s toys were all over the living room floor. There were pictures all over the apartment- Kara and Lena dancing on their wedding day; Lena’s maternity photos, where she gently cradled her round stomach; a picture of the new little family in the hospital on the day that Allie was born; Allie’s newborn photos, where she was swaddled in a pink blanket and looked like a sleeping angel; pictures from when Kara and Lena were dating, together with all the Superfriends; pictures of Alex, Jess, and Hannah; a family portrait, taken just a few weeks earlier, with Kara holding Allie, Lena wrapping her arms around Kara, and the three of them smiling widely. Kara’s paintings were all over the walls, too, giving the apartment a brighter feel.

Lena made her way down the hall to Allie’s nursery. When she peeked her head in, she smiled at the sight. Kara was gathering all of Allie’s bedtime supplies- baby lotion, a clean diaper, and an adorable one-piece, footed pajama set with dinosaurs all over it (a personal favorite of Kara’s). Allie, still stark naked after her bath, was sitting on the floor chewing on Sophie the Giraffe, one of her favorite toys. 

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Lena said.

At the sound of her mother’s voice, Allie looked up and gave an excited squeal when she saw Lena. She had just turned 9 months old and was now crawling everywhere, and she excitedly crawled over to Lena as fast as she could. 

“Hi Allie!” Lena said, bending down to pick her up. Allie gave Lena a wide smile, showing off her four teeth. “Have you had a fun day with Mama?”

“She’s had a great day,” Kara said. “We went to the baby class at the library and we got to do music and storytime there, then we went to the park and she got to swing.”

“That sounds like the best kind of day!” Lena said, giving Allie a tickle beneath her chubby armpit that elicited more happy squeals. Lena missed not getting the chance to spend every day with her daughter, and often felt sad that she missed things like the baby class at the library or swim lessons at the YMCA. But she made sure to do similar fun things on the weekend, like finding another library with a Saturday baby class, playing at the park, or going to one of Hannah’s soccer games (Kara and Alex were the team’s coaches). 

“Do you want to see something fun she’s learned today?” Kara asked. “She just started doing it and it’s the cutest thing ever.”

“Of course!” Lena said enthusiastically. Both Kara and Lena were amazed at how much Allie was learning and growing. In addition to crawling, she could say “Mama,” “Mommy,” “Ax” (Alex), “Ssss” (Jess),“Han” (Hannah), and “Nan” (Eliza, who was called Nana by her grandchildren), and she called each of them by name when they came into a room she was in. She could also clap her hands, dance to music, and was now pulling herself into a standing position. She would be walking before they knew it.

“Allie, can you give Mommy a kiss?” Kara asked. 

Allie leaned forward to give Lena a very sloppy and drool-filled, but extremely heartfelt, kiss on the lips. Lena was delighted.

“Allie, that’s so sweet of you! Thank you!” Lena gave her daughter another kiss before pulling her close into a hug. Allie snuggled into the hug, nuzzling against Lena’s neck and letting off a content sigh. “I love you so, so, so, much,” Lena whispered against Allie’s damp curls. “How about we go back over to Mama and get your jammies on?”

She carried Allie over to the changing table, where she gave her wife a quick kiss before laying Allie down. Working together, Kara and Lena rubbed baby lotion on Allie’s skin, put a clean diaper on her, and put her into her pajamas. 

Kara then carried her over to the rocking chair. Lena picked out a book for them to read together, and she sat on the ottoman while Kara held Allie in her lap in the rocking chair. Kara and Lena traded off doing the voices of the story, which Allie loved. Once they’d finished the story, Kara transitioned Allie to recline in her arms. She softly sang two songs to her as she rocked her- one was a beautiful Kryptonian lullaby that made goosebumps rise on Lena’s arms, the other “I Choose You” by Sara Barelleis, the song that Lena and Kara had danced to at their wedding. 

By the time both songs were over, Allie was sleepy and calm. Kara transferred her to Lena’s arms. Lena unbuttoned her blouse so that she could feed the baby. As Allie nursed, Lena hummed softly to her and softly stroked her hair, the exact same color as Lena’s but with Kara’s slight waves. After about 15 minutes Lena felt the sucking stop, and she knew that Allie was asleep. She gently transferred Allie to Kara’s arms while she buttoned her shirt back up. 

Kara and Lena both gave Allie a soft kiss before laying her in her crib on her back. Kara covered her with a soft blanket, and Lena made sure the baby monitor was on. They both quietly padded out of the room. 

“This is my favorite part of the day,” Lena whispered. “I love that I get to come home to my girls every night.”

“Me, too,” Kara said with a smile.

“Do you remember when I’d first moved to National City, when Supergirl told me that I didn’t have to be alone anymore?” Lena asked.

“Of course I do,” Kara said. “I wanted you to know that you had people who cared about you. You were never alone, Lena. You always had me.”

“I know that now,” Lena said with a smile. “And now I have so many people. But I’m so glad that I have you and Allie most of all. It’s such a joy to have you to come home to.”


	14. Afterglow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback chapter. Kara and Lena meet up for the first time since declaring their feeling and spending their first night together. And... things happen ;)

Lena smiled when she heard a familiar tapping on her apartment’s window. She looked outside to see the smiling face of Supergirl (because who else would be tapping on her window on the 20th floor?). It had only been a three days since she and Kara had finally declared their feelings for each other, and spent a wonderful night together. Due to work commitments (Lena) and Supergirl commitments (Kara), they hadn’t seen each other since brunch two days before, and Lena was more than ready for some one-on-one time. She had texted Kara saying that she was home from work early in case Kara wanted to “hang out”… and Kara was there within five seconds of sending a “YES!!!!!!!! ☺ ☺ ☺” text.

Lena shut her laptop and made her way over to the window. She unlatched the lock, opened the window, and offered her hand. Kara took it as she stepped into the room, and then brought it to her mouth, where she placed a gentle kiss on Lena’s palm, then on each of her fingers, before lacing their fingers together. It was sweet, and a little shy, and Lena felt herself melt a bit at the gesture. 

“I’ve really missed you,” Kara said. “I thought about you all the time.”

“It’s been two days,” Lena teased. “Have you fallen that hard already?”

“Totally and completely,” Kara said with a smile. “But I fell for you a long time ago so… not much new there.”

Lena smiled. She had fallen for Kara a long time ago, too. “Well then, why don’t we take advantage of this… togetherness,” Lena replied with more than a hint of flirtation in her voice. She leaned forward to place a kiss on Kara’s lips. 

The fact that she could now kiss Kara, after months (years, really) of yearning to do so felt like such a gift. When Lena pulled back, she kept her hand on Kara’s face, and stroked her thumb gently on Kara’s cheekbone. Kara had such a big smile on her face that her eyes were crinkling shut. She leaned forward and kissed Lena again, then pulled back and giggled happily.

“I still can’t believe I get to kiss you now,” Kara said. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long, you don’t even know.”

“If you’ve wanted to kiss me as long as I’ve wanted to kiss you, I think I probably do,” Lena said with a wink. She smiled as Kara’s mouth dropped open and she stammered for an answer. If Lena could get this kind of reaction from her… this was going to be fun.

“So… what do you want to do?” Kara asked as she and Lena moved to sit down on the couch, when she finally wasn’t a stammering mess anymore. “I know you asked me if I wanted to hang out but I didn’t know if you meant it in the chilling on the couch and watching Netflix way, or the “’Netflix and chill’” way.” She blushed at the last statement.

“I meant it in whatever way you’re comfortable with,” Lena said, placing a reassuring hand on Kara’s forearm and rubbing softly. “I would love to watch something with you and talk about our days- and I would also love to ‘Netflix and chill’ with you.”

“I’d like to do… both,” Kara said, the “both” coming out with a squeak. 

Lena raised one eyebrow “So you’d like to have sex with me later is what you’re saying?”

“I mean… that’s… yes?” Kara said, blushing furiously.

Lena laughed and rubbed Kara’s arm again. “I’m sorry, darling, I was just teasing. But if we’re going to do this, we ARE going to have to work on casually talking about sex with one another. I want you to be comfortable, but I do like being open about this kind of thing.”

Kara smiled. “I swear I’m not as prudish as I seem sometimes.”

“I don’t think you’re prudish at all,” Lena said. “The other night showed me that you’re pretty adventurous in the bedroom.” Kara laughed a little at that. “I think you’re just not used to talking about it so openly.”

“I mean, it’s not like I had many people to talk with it about before, other than Alex,” Kara said. “And we didn’t really even go into details, just ‘Hey, I got to third base in the car with so-and-so last night.’ And honestly, I haven’t really had that many partners.”

“Really?” Lena asked. She and Kara really hadn’t spoken of past relationships, other than Mon-El.

“No,” Kara said, shaking her head. “I mean, I’ve dated people before, but most of them didn’t get much farther than kissing. I’ve only had four sexual partners.”

Lena raised her eyebrows in a “go on…” gesture.

“There was Ben Simmons my freshman year of college. I lost my virginity to him, but he sort of surprised me when he… you know…”

“Ejaculated?” Lena supplied.

Kara blushed furiously, but still rolled her eyes. “Of course you’re scientific about it. But yes… that. I think it surprised him, too, it was like 2 minutes into everything. But like I said, I wasn’t expecting it and he just kind of collapsed on top of me and… I may or may not have punched him in the nose by accident.”

“Oh no,” Lena said with a grimace. 

“Yeah,” Kara said. “It probably doesn’t come as a shock that he didn’t want anything to do with me after that. Then there was Sarah Lawrence from my journalism seminar my senior year of college. We hooked up basically all of first semester that year. She thought it was just casual sex, but I had already fallen for her, hard. I guess she got freaked out by it all and just ghosted me. I was devastated.”

Lena reached out to rub Kara’s arm again. 

“And then there was Mon-El, and you know all about that already.” Kara winced at the mentioning of Mon-El. “And then there’s you. So, yeah. Four. Three turned out pretty terrible, but the fourth...” Kara looked up at Lena and gave her a sweet smile. “I’m pretty happy with the fourth.”

“I’m pretty happy, too,” Lena said, returning Kara’s smile before leaning in to place a gentle kiss on Kara’s lips, then another, and another. 

Kara started leaning back until she lay flat on the couch with Lena on top of her. Lena continued to kiss her, slowly and languidly. Kara opened her mouth and their tongues met, and the kissing became a bit wet, a bit sloppy, but still absolutely wonderful. 

Kara briefly let out a whine when Lena abandoned her mouth, but the whine quickly turned into a moan when she went to work on a spot below Kara’s ear that she’d discovered during their last tryst. 

“How are you so good at that?” Kara asked breathlessly as Lena softly nibbled on her earlobe.

“I’m just naturally gifted,” Lena replied before moving to suck at Kara’s neck. She knew she couldn’t leave any marks there, so she didn’t bother being gentle… and Kara’s responding moan indicated that she was enjoying it. “Plus,” she said as she took a break from kissing on Kara’s neck, “you’re pretty fun to practice on.”

“If this is practicing then… gosh,” Kara said. “What’s the real thing like?”

“Want to find out?” Lena asked seductively.

“Yeah,” Kara breathed out. 

“Well then let’s get you into bed and I’ll show you EXACTLY how real it can be.”

**

“Holy shit,” Lena said breathlessly as she came down from one of the most mind-blowing orgasms of her life. Who knew that sweet Kara Danvers, who less than an hour before had been shy to talk about sex, could do THAT to her?

She looked down at Kara, whose head was still positioned between her legs. She touched her head gently. 

“That was amazing darling, but can we… OH GOD,” Lena said, as her body lit up again. She hadn’t been expecting that one. 

Kara looked up at her. “Can we what?” 

“Can we… take a break,” Lena said, trying to get her breath back to normal again. “That’s been… four for me. It’s all a bit sensitive down there.”

“Of course,” Kara said, pausing to wipe her mouth with her hand (a gesture that almost sent Lena right over the edge again) before snaking her way up Lena’s body. She placed gentle kisses on Lena’s stomach as she moved upwards. Lena’s stomach was one of Kara’s favorite parts of her body, and she lavished even more attention on it when Lena had admitted that she was slightly self-conscious about it. Kara wanted nothing more than to make Lena feel good about herself, and to show her how much she loved every inch of her.

Kara placed a succession of quick kisses on Lena’s lips before settling herself against her chest. She rested her head on one of Lena’s breasts while she gently played with the other. 

“Who knew this could be so much fun?” Kara asked as she softly tweaked a nipple. “I could do this every day. TWICE a day. THREE times, even.”

Lena laughed softly. “Well, unfortunately for you not all of us have the stamina of a Kryptonian. I don’t know that I could go three times a day. But you’re right- this is so, so much fun.”

“But it’s not just the sex that’s fun for me,” Kara said. “I mean, it IS a lot of fun, and it feels great. You’re SO good, like, WOW. I came like four times in five minutes and I’ve never done that before, even when it’s just by myself. But I like this, too,” she said, nuzzling into Lena’s breast. “Cuddling together when we’re done, I mean. I never got that with anyone else.”

Lena furrowed her eyebrows. Even before they’d started dating she knew Kara was a cuddler, and just assumed that cuddling after sex would be a given for her.

“Really?”

“No,” Kara said. “I wanted it, but no one else did. Do the deed and then go on with your day. But I like this. I like YOU. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Lena said with a smile. It usually would have been a bit early to be dropping “I love you’s,” but not now, not with Kara.

“So what are we now?” Kara whispered. 

“What do you mean?” Lena asked.

“I mean, are we… girlfriends?”

“I’d like us to be,” Lena said. “But that’s entirely up to you.”

“I’d like us to be, too,” Kara said. 

“Then we’re girlfriends,” Lena said with a smile. 

Kara gave a happy little squeal, then buried her head in Lena’s chest. “Sorry, I’m just so excited,” she said happily.

“Good,” Lena said. “I’m excited, too.”

“I have a girlfriend,” Kara said, almost in amazement. “And it’s YOU.”

“Why do you seem so surprised by that?” Lena asked.

“Because you’re… I don’t know. So… YOU. You’re calm, cool, and collected, and you have the best fashion sense of anyone I know, and you’re a CEO, and you’re just so BEAUTIFUL…”

“So are you,” Lena said. “Beautiful, I mean. Inside AND out. You are the bravest person I know, and the kindest, and you always stick to your convictions. I am lucky to have you as my friend, and as my girlfriend. I can’t wait to start on this crazy journey with you.”

Kara laughed. “It’ll definitely be crazy! But I think it’ll be a great one. I can’t wait to get started on this journey with you, too.”


	15. Earth Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Kara's Earth Birthday! There are presents, cuddles, lots of baby kisses, some (happy!) tears, and so much fluff and sweetness (literally!) that your teeth will rot just by reading it.

Kara woke up to warm sunlight streaming in through the cracks in the blinds. She reached out for her wife, just as she did every morning, expecting to connect with a warm, sleeping body. She always pulled Lena close to her for some morning snuggles, enjoying the feeling of being enveloped in her warmth and smell. After a few minutes of cuddling, whichever one of them was the most awake got up to get Allie from her crib and bring her into their bed for family snuggles. But when Kara reached out, she felt only a cold, empty space beside her. 

“What the…?” she asked herself quietly, and glanced over to the video baby monitor on her bedside table. Allie’s crib was empty, too. Her eyes widened when she saw the time on her phone- it was almost 10 AM! She hadn’t slept until 10:00 in the 9 months since Allie had been born. 

She used her X-ray vision to do a quick scan of the apartment, and saw that Lena was moving around in the kitchen, obviously cooking something, and Allie was on her play mat in the living room, within Lena’s line of sight. 

Kara got out of bed and walked to the kitchen.

“What are you two ladies up to?” she asked. “Why’d you let me sleep so late?”

“You weren’t supposed to be up yet!” Lena said. “I was going to wake you up with breakfast!”

She was still in her pajamas, and her face was lightly streaked with flour. An amazing smell was wafting out of the oven.

A crinkle appeared between Kara’s eyebrows. “You know I’ll never turn down breakfast, but what’s the occasion?”

“Don’t tell me you forgot what today is?” Lena asked skeptically, raising one eyebrow.

“OH!” Kara shouted excitedly. “EARTH BIRTHDAY!” She had completely forgotten. She had been preoccupied by a combination of being extra busy with Supergirl duties in the evening and spending all day with an increasingly mobile and highly energetic baby. 

Lena winked. “Now you’ve gotten it.” She checked a timer that she’d set on her phone. “Breakfast should be ready in about ten minutes. And no, I’m not telling you what I made, it’s a surprise.” Lena knew Kara wouldn’t use her X-Ray vision to check on what was in the oven because surprises were one of Kara’s favorite things. 

“Gosh, you know me so well,” Kara said. 

A loud squeal suddenly came from the living room, drawing their attention. 

“I think someone doesn’t like being neglected,” Lena said. 

“She’s such a drama queen,” Kara said. “Always has to be the center of attention. I wonder who she gets THAT from?” She nudged Lena with her shoulder. 

“I don’t have to be the center of attention, I just like being acknowledged and focused on when necessary,” Lena said. 

“Which is all the time,” Kara replied. 

Lena quirked her head to the side in a “fair enough” gesture. Another squeal pierced the air. 

Lena sighed. “Ok, I’m going to finish making you breakfast, and YOU go in there and play with your daughter before she causes my chandelier to crack.”

Kara walked into the living room and sat on the floor next to Allie. 

“Good morning, sunshine!” she exclaimed as she pulled Allie into her lap. 

“Mama!” Allie said excitedly as she wrapped her chubby arms around Kara’s neck and nuzzled in. Kara stroked her hair for a few moments, then smiled happily when Allie pulled back to give her a smile of her own, showing off her four new teeth. 

Kara pulled Allie up and held her so that they were eye level. 

“Can you give me a kiss?” Kara asked, puckering up her lips in a “kiss me” gesture. Allie leaned forward and placed a kiss that was far more drool than kiss on her lips. 

“That’s so sweet, thank you!” Kara said. “Don’t tell Mommy,” she whispered loudly so that Lena could hear her, “but you give the best kisses ever.” She tickled under Allie’s arm to make her giggle, and Kara could hear Lena’s sarcastic “Ha, ha,” from the kitchen. 

Kara placed another loud, smacking kiss on Allie’s lips before smothering her with kisses all over her face. Like Kara, Allie “loved aggressively,” as Alex put it, and she loved getting hugs, kisses, cuddles, and any type of physical affection she could. She laughed and squealed with delight as her mama kissed her. 

After she had finished with the “kissy attack,” as she liked to call it, Kara picked up a book that was lying next to her and read it to Allie. She used a very loud and silly voice as she read because she knew that Allie loved it. 

From the kitchen, Lena watched her wife and daughter with a sense of pure love and joy. She loved Kara in all her roles- as a reporter, as a friend, as Supergirl, as her wife- but of all of these, by far her favorite was seeing Kara as a mom. She had known Kara would be a wonderful mother even when they were just friends, but seeing her together with her daughter, loving her so big and wide it almost hurt… it was the best thing in the world. How did she get so lucky that this beautiful, wonderful woman was her wife?

When the timer ding, Kara picked Allie up and carried her to the kitchen on her hip.

“Are you going to tell me what’s for breakfast now?” she asked. “It smells amazing and I had to stop myself from peeking.”

Lena opened the oven and pulled out a tray of what looked like cinnamon rolls.

“CINNAMON ROLLS!” Kara exclaimed.

“Not just any old cinnamon rolls,” Lena said. “These are special Funfetti birthday cake cinnamon rolls.”

Kara gasped. It was a combination of two of her favorite foods. “That has to be the best food ever created. Better than pizza. Better than POTSTICKERS!”

“I thought you’d like it,” Lena said with a wink. “Now, let me get these frosted for you. I made Allie some oatmeal already.”

“She doesn’t get any cinnamon rolls?” Kara asked sadly. 

“If you think I’m letting my baby eat that much sugar this early in the morning you must be crazy!” Lena said. “The only reason I’m letting YOU eat that much sugar is because it’s your birthday.” 

Lena was a health nut, and was trying to end the Danvers junk food diet streak. Allie was exclusively breastfed for the first six months of her life, and Lena planned to keep nursing her until she was at least 18 months old. Any food that she ate had to be healthy, organic, and was mostly made at home by Lena and Kara. As a result of Lena’s efforts, at nine months old, Allie already ate a wider variety of fruits and vegetables than Kara, and actually seemed to enjoy them. Lena was also pushing Kara to eat a healthier diet, and while she hadn’t managed to get her to cut out the pizza, potstickers, and cheeseburgers, she did get her to drink a green smoothie every morning for breakfast and eat salads for lunch from time-to-time. It was a start. 

Kara gave Lena the famous Danvers pout. Lena sighed. “She can have a bite. But only ONE.”

Kara smiled happily. “You’re the best!”

“I know,” Lena said. 

Kara took Allie over to the table and strapped her in her high chair, then grabbed the small bowl of oatmeal Lena had prepared and brought it over to Allie. She made “zooming” noises as she spooned the oatmeal into Allie’s mouth, which Allie loved. 

Lena poured a glaze on top of the cinnamon rolls, and let it sit for a moment so it melted. She then took the whole tray of cinnamon rolls over to Kara and placed it in front of her, along with half a banana that she’d cut into chunks for Allie. 

“That looks AMAZING,” Kara said, her voice filled with awe. “And it’s all for me?”

“I might have a bite,” Lena admitted. Like Allie, she was having oatmeal and a banana for breakfast. “But otherwise, yes, it is all for you. Happy Birthday, darling.”

“Best birthday breakfast EVER!” Kara said before digging into the cinnamon rolls. On the first bite, she let out a moan. 

“Holy shit,” she said, her mouth full. Lena knew it must be amazing, because Kara almost NEVER swore. “This is the best thing I’ve ever had in my mouth.”

Lena quirked an eyebrow. “Really? Because I can think of something that’s been in your mouth that I certainly hope you like better than cinnamon rolls.”

Kara caught on quickly. “Correction: this is the best food item that’s ever been in my mouth. You’re much better than cinnamon rolls.”

“Thank you,” Lena said. 

Kara tore off a bite of the cinnamon roll and gave it to Allie. Allie put it in her mouth and chewed on it for a moment before puckering up her face and spitting it out. 

“WHAT?” Kara shouted. “She doesn’t like it?”

“It’s probably too sweet for her,” Lena said with a shrug, watching as Allie picked up another slice of banana and started munching on it happily. “So far the sweetest thing she’s had to eat is fruit.”

“I swear Lena, if you’ve turned my child off of junk food forever…”

Lena rolled her eyes. “So I want my daughter to have a healthy diet. Sue me! And I haven’t turned her off junk food forever, I’m sure she’ll develop a liking for it when she gets older.”

“She better,” Kara said with a pout. Lena laughed and leaned forward to kiss the pout away, and when she pulled back she was happy to note that it had been replaced by a smile. 

“Do you want a bite?” Kara asked. 

“I’ll take a bite,” Lena said. Kara speared a piece on her fork and fed it to Lena. 

“Ok, I’ll admit it, that was delicious,” Lena said. “I’ll take one more bite, but only one more.”

By the time breakfast was over, Lena had managed to eat one whole cinnamon roll, while Kara easily polished off the remaining 9. 

“Do you want to see the rest of your birthday gifts?” Lena asked once they had taken the dirty dishes to the sink.

“Um, YES!” Kara said. “Why is that even a question?” She looked at Allie, who she was carrying against her hip. “Why does Mommy ask silly questions that she already knows the answer to? Why does she do that?” She leaned in and blew a raspberry against Allie’s neck, causing her to giggle delightedly. 

“Mama just likes teasing me, Allie,” Lena said with a sigh. She turned back to Kara. “You take Little Miss over to the couch and I’ll get your presents.”

Kara placed another kiss on Allie’s cheek before walking over to the couch. Lena grabbed a couple of small, wrapped gifts from the kitchen bar.

Lena handed Kara a card. “This first one is from Alex and Jess,” Lena said. “They wanted me to give it to you now.”

Kara opened it and read it, a smile spreading across her face. “Alex is having me over at her place tomorrow to celebrate, just the two of us! It’s just like we used to do. And OH! Look at this! Allie’s going to stay over at their place tonight so that you and I can have an evening to ourselves! And the DEO is going to take care of any Supergirl emergencies!” 

“Yep!” Lena replied happily. “Which means we get to do whatever you want…” she said suggestively. 

“I have been DYING to get a good night’s sleep,” Kara said. “Go to bed at 9 and sleep uninterrupted until the morning.” Lena looked offended, and Kara burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, but you’re so much fun to tease! Seriously though, I think I have a few ideas of things I’d like to do.”

“Good, because so do I,” Lena said with a wink. “And I went shopping at Adam & Eve for the second part of your gift. It’s in the bedroom and we will DEFINITELY be trying that out.”

Kara, even after almost five years of marriage, STILL blushed when Lena brought up sex toys. “I think I’ll like that a lot,” she said shyly. 

“Oh, I know you will,” Lena said. “Anyway… back to the G-rated gifts!” She pulled out a small box. “This one’s from Allie and me.”

Kara opened it and let out a soft gasp. “Oh Lena, it’s beautiful!” Lena had gotten her a simple gold necklace with a small pendant with “Alura” carved into it. 

“It’s a mother’s necklace,” Lena said. “It’s your first Earth Birthday since you became a mom, and Allie and I wanted you to have something special to mark it with.”

“Lena, this is so wonderful,” Kara said. She took the necklace out of the box and clasped it around her neck. “I don’t ever want to take it off.” 

“And there’s one last thing,” Lena said. “I think you’ll really love this one.” She handed Kara a small, flat rectangular object. 

Kara unwrapped it, and she gasped again. Lena watched as Kara’s eyes filled up with tears. “Oh, Lena…” she said, her voice filled with emotion. 

The gift was a bi-fold picture frame. On the right side was a small blue handprint, with “Alura Alexandra Luthor-Danvers, October 12th, 2022” written underneath it. It was clearly Allie’s handprint. 

On the left side was a picture that Kara had never seen before, a picture that she’d forgotten existed. It was a picture of her and Allie the first time that she had been able to hold her. Kara remembered the moment like it was yesterday. She had taken off her shirt and bra so that she could hold Allie skin-to-skin. A nurse had draped a blanket over Allie’s back to keep her warm, and Allie had nuzzled into Kara’s chest, safe, secure, warm, and loved. Feeling her daughter’s soft, warm body against her was one of the most amazing things Kara had ever felt. Allie was part of her, part of Lena, part of her parents, part of Alex and Eliza, part of the Luthors, part of the House of El, part of Krypton itself. There were so many things wrapped into a tiny, soft, dark-haired baby. It was one of the best moments of Kara’s life, and Lena had taken a picture of it. 

“This means so much to me,” Kara said, tears rolling down her cheeks. Lena gently reached up to wipe them away, feeling tears come into her own eyes as she did. “You two are the real gifts. My beautiful, wonderful, special girls. I don’t know what I did to deserve you. I love you so much.” She leaned forward to kiss Lena, then bent down to kiss Allie’s head. She smoothed her hand over Allie’s dark curls. 

“We love you, too,” Lena said. “You’re such a gift to me, and to Allie, too. We’re so lucky to have you.” She leaned forward to give Kara another kiss. “Happy Birthday, my love.”

Kara smiled. “This is by far the best Earth Birthday ever.” She hugged both of her girls close to her, feeling happy, warm, and so very, very loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of my favorite chapters to write so far. So much domestic fluff and sweetness! I love this little family.
> 
> Also, for those of you wondering about where the idea for Funfetti birthday cake cinnamon rolls came from, here's the video that inspired it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LMi4Jel_ME
> 
> I have never made the recipe because honestly I don't love sweet things, but you gotta admit, Kara would be OBSESSED with these!


	16. Making a Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The process that Lena and Kara went thorough to make Allie. From heartbreak and hardships to joy. 
> 
> TW miscarriage (not graphic)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to explore more in depth what Kara and Lena were going through after the miscarriage. Also Allie is getting older and I missed soft, sleepy, snuggly newborn Allie.

It had been 9 months since the miscarriage. 

9 months of staring at her still-flat stomach, wondering what it would be like to have a round, protruding belly. 

9 months of touching her stomach, wondering what it would feel like to have a baby moving inside her. 

9 months of feeling her heart constrict every time she saw a mother with her child, wishing that it could be her. 

9 months of waking up from the same dream where she had been snuggling her baby, and having Kara hold her in bed while she cries. 

9 months of trying to hide the pain from her smile when those who don’t know playfully ask when she and her wife plan on expanding the family, because she can’t tell a random board member that over the past year she’s tried four times to get pregnant, and the one time it actually worked ended in tragedy.

9 months of saying the flowers that her wife keeps sending to her office are “just because” flowers, and hiding that they’re really for the first day she came back to work after the D&C, or for the day they would’ve had their first anatomy scan, or for the day that their daughter had been due to be born. 

It was easily the worst 9 months of Lena’s life. She felt raw and exposed, like something had been ripped from the core of her very being. But the one bright spot in her life, the lifeboat keeping her afloat, was Kara. Sweet, wonderful, beautiful Kara, whose heart had been just as broken as Lena’s when they lost the baby, but who knew that Lena needed her to be the strong and steady one. 

The night that they found out that the baby hadn’t survived, Lena crawled into Kara’s lap in the rocking chair they’d bought the week before, when they were still almost delirious with joy. It was the chair they’d planned to rock their baby girl to sleep in, but now it just seemed, like so many things, an empty promise. They didn’t speak- Kara just held her, and rocked her, and cried with her. Kara had called Alex from the hospital, absolutely desolate, and told her that no matter what it was, Supergirl couldn’t save National City that night. She had to save her wife. She had to save herself. Alex had cried with her sister, cried FOR her sister, and told her to take as much time as she needed to grieve. To grieve and to heal. 

Kara and Lena did grieve. And slowly, over time, they did heal. 

And 9 months after the miscarriage, Lena felt ready. 

She and Kara were lying in bed. Their bed was their safe place, where they could shed the outer layers that they showed to the world. Where they could be vulnerable, and raw, and passionate. Where they kept nothing from each other. 

Kara was lying with her head in Lena’s lap, nestled into her lower stomach. It was one of Kara’s favorite places on Lena’s body. There was so much feeling to it, especially when Lena wasn’t wearing clothes- the softness of the skin, that so few had ever touched; the coarseness of the dark hair that lay just below, that Kara could feel against her cheek; the slight indentations of stretch marks, a remnant of hips that grew almost overnight during puberty, before the skin could catch up. It smelled of the lavender body wash that Lena used, but there was something else underneath, something that could only be described as Lena. It was sweet and sharp at the same time, and Kara’s need for it, her love for it, was almost primitive. As Kara rubbed her nose lightly against Lena’s stomach, she heard the words that gave her hope for the first time in months, the words that would change their lives forever. 

“I’m ready to try again.”

“To try what again?”

“To try for a baby.”

Kara sat up, and moved so that she was next to her wife.

“Lee… it’s only been 9 months.”

“I know. I’ve grieved for our baby. I’ve grieved for us. But I’m done grieving. I’m ready to try again.”

Kara didn’t say anything. She just let out a small sob, and buried her head in Lena’s neck. And this time it was Lena who held Kara as she cried, listening to the small “thank you’s,” she kept murmuring against her neck.

**  
It had been 5 weeks since they had the embryo implanted at the DEO. Lena refused to take a pregnancy test. Her period was late, but her period was ALWAYS late. She’d been irregular since she was 12 years old. She was too afraid to get her hopes up, too afraid to have her heart broken again. She wanted to wait until she felt SURE. 

Lena had made chicken cacciatore for dinner, along with a salad and breadsticks. It was one of Lena’s favorite meals, and one that Kara loved, as well. As Lena was setting the table, she heard the faint touch of boots upon the balcony, and the beeping of the keypad as Kara unlocked the door. 

“Hi love,” Lena said, smiling at her wife as Kara came to give her a kiss, the same as she did every night.

“Wow, this smells AMAZING,” Kara said. “You ‘re such a good cook. You could be on Masterchef if you wanted.”

“I’m not nearly that talented, darling, and you know it,” Lena replied. 

“Are we having a guest tonight?” Kara asked suddenly.

Lena furrowed her brow in confusion. “No, why would you think we’re having a guest?”

“I just heard someone else.”

“There’s no one else here besides you and me.”

In an instant, Kara’s face changed. It was a look Lena would never forget- a look of bewilderment, excitement, and love. 

“Oh Lena…” Kara said, her eyes filling with tears. “Oh Rao.”

“What is it, sweetie? You’re scaring me a little bit.”

Kara was fully crying. “I heard someone else. I heard a third heartbeat.”

All of a sudden, Lena got it. “It can’t be…” She felt tears come to her eyes, too. 

“It’s there Lena, I can hear it! It’s there. SHE’s there.”

“Oh my God,” Lena said, sobbing. “It’s a baby. It’s our baby.”

Kara bent down to Lena’s stomach. It was still flat, no sign of anything beneath the surface. Kara lifted up the shirt, and pressed a shaky kiss to it. “I love you so much,” she whispered. Lena could feel her tears wet against the skin. 

“I never said that before,” Kara said. “I never told the baby I loved her. But I want this baby to know that she’s loved, that I’ve loved her from the moment I knew she existed.”

“She knows, Kara,” Lena said, still shaking with sobs of her own. “She’ll ALWAYS know that you love her, and that I love her.” 

“She’s a strong one,” Kara said. “I can tell.” She stood up and kissed Lena, hard and passionate. She pulled back and rested her forehead against Lena’s, a watery smile on her face. “I’m so happy.”

Lena, despite her fear to get her hopes up, felt more pure, unadulterated joy than she’d felt in the past 9 months. “I’m so happy, too,” she whispered.

“I have something,” Kara said suddenly. Cape flapping behind her, she ran into their bedroom. Lena heard her rummaging around, and then saw her as she ran back in. 

“I bought this a few months ago,” Kara just. “Just in case we could ever use it.”

It was a simple navy blue onesie that Kara had found for $4 at JC Penney. But it was so true to them, to their story. In rainbow letter across the front, it read, “Strong Like Mommy.”

“She’s got two strong mommies,” Kara whispered. “And our strength has nothing to do with being Super. And she’ll be strong, too.”

“She’ll be a fighter,” Lena said. “Strong, like us.”

**

Allie was five days old. 

Lena had never been so sore in her life. Her privates were sore because there’d been tearing, and she had to have stiches. Her limbs were still sore, even five days later, from the exertion of labor. Her milk had come in the day before, and her breasts were tender, swollen, and felt like melons.

She had also never been so exhausted in her life. Allie wanted to eat every 2 hours, all day and all night, which meant Lena never got more than 2 hours of sleep at a time. And even when Allie wasn’t eating, because she was making so much milk she had to pump in addition to feedings so she wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable. 

But Alura Alexandra Luthor-Danvers made the pain and exhaustion worth it- more than worth it. Lena had never felt such a strong and pure love in her life. She felt an innate, primitive connection to her daughter. When she cried, the need to comfort her, to feed her, and to protect her was instant. 

Lena loved the sleepy cuddles in bed or in the rocking chair after she’d finished nursing her. She loved stroking the dark, downy hair on her head, and marveling at her perfect, tiny fingernails. She loved the feel of her nestled against her chest, snug and warm. She loved her sweet, milky smell. She loved singing to her, talking to her, and reading to her, even though she knew she didn’t understand any of it yet. She loved the little noises she made- squeaks, grunts, huffs, hiccups, and sneezes. She loved the way she turned red when she cried, because she knew for sure that was something she’d gotten from her, since Lena always turned a bright shade of red when she cried, laughed, or otherwise exerted herself. She just loved HER, all of her, and knew that no matter what, she always would. 

Lena loved seeing Kara with her. She loved watching Kara hold her securely against her shoulder as she ate breakfast, wanting to eat but refusing to put down her daughter to do it. She loved watching as Eliza taught Kara how to swaddle her in a blanket, and how to bathe her- how to get the water to be just the right temperature, how to carefully wash her hair, how to gently dry her off. She loved seeing Kara, the strongest woman on the planet, be impossibly gentle with her baby, as if she was afraid to break her. She loved watching Kara sing to her, and talk to her in Kryptonese, and tell her all about her grandmother Alura, who she’d never get to know but who would have loved her so much. 

Lena turned her head to look at Kara and Allie, and her heart nearly exploded at the sight. The doctors had encouraged them to do skin-to-skin with Allie for at least an hour a day for the first few weeks. Kara, who missed out on being able to nurse the baby, jumped at the opportunity. Kara had taken off her sleep shirt, and Allie, wearing only a diaper, was nestled snugly on her chest, fast asleep with her head resting on one breast. Kara bent down periodically to place soft kisses on Allie’s head, and Lena could hear her whispering to her. 

“You’re my special girl, my perfect, beautiful girl,” Kara whispered. “Mama loves you so much. You’re mine and I love you.” She turned to look at Lena. “She’s the best thing ever.”

“She is,” Lena agreed.

“Thank you,” Kara said simply. “I know it was hard for you. I know it was so hard for so long.”

“She makes all the hard parts worth it,” Lena said. 

“You two are my gifts,” Kara said. She smiled as Allie stirred, yawning widely and making a cute little squeaking nose as she woke and rooted around for a nipple. Kara nudged her nose away gently before she could latch on, then passed her over to Lena so that she could actually eat.

As Lena nursed her baby, smiling at the little grunting sounds she made as she ate, Kara continued. 

“I never thought I’d be able to have a family. I thought my family died with Krypton. But I made a new family here on Earth. Jeremiah and Eliza and Alex, and now Jess and Hannah, too. But you and Allie, you’re more than that. You’re part of me. She’s part of my parents, and a part of Krypton. I thought Krypton had died- I thought my parents had died. But they’re alive, they’re alive through her. And you- you gave my life a new meaning. You’ve been such a gift to me. And you gave me the best gift I ever could have asked.” Her eyes had filled with tears.

“I love you,” Lena said.

“I love you, too,” Kara replied. “Thank you for making a family with me.”


	17. Disappointment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Supergirl gets an award from CatCo media, and Kara sees a familiar face in the crowd. Kara learns important lessons about disappointing children from an unlikely source.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that it's been a while since I updated! I moved to a new apartment and started a full time job, and also had a bit of writer's block. I'm settled into the new place and the new job, and finally broke the writing wall I'd come to, so I'll hopefully be back to a more regular updating schedule now. I've got some exciting plans ahead for this fic- Allie's first birthday is coming up, and I'm thinking about maybe adding another member to the little Luthor-Danvers family (possibly animal, possibly human, definitely going to be adorable).

Supergirl HATED getting awards. Well, it was KARA who hated getting awards, but it was Supergirl who was always being given them. Kara hated the fact that it was almost always Supergirl who was recognized for saving the city or protecting its civilians, and not those who worked hard to save National City and protect civilians day in and day out- police officers, firefighters, paramedics, government workers. They were the REAL heroes- she was just lucky enough to have some pretty cool powers that could stop the bad guys that the “normal” heroes had trouble handling alone. 

She was accepting a People’s Choice award from CatCo Media. As her boss, Cat never would have given Kara the award on her own, but the award had to go to Supergirl since the people of National City voted that she receive it. Cat never actually acknowledged that she knew that Kara was Supergirl, but it was clear to Kara that she knew, and it was clear to Cat that Kara knew that she knew.

As Cat and Kara stood on the podium, Kara zoned out Cat’s speech. Her speeches about Supergirl were always the same- a brief overview of all the times she’d saved National City from destruction, her civic engagement duties, making sure that everyone knew that she was the Last Daughter of Krypton. Kara knew that Cat disliked giving the speech as much as Kara disliked getting the award, but here they both were. Kara glanced around at the witnessing crowd, and saw a surprising site on the front row- her daughter.

Allie was accompanied by Emily, a college student that Lena and Kara had hired to nanny for a few hours once or twice a week so that Kara could get work done or run errands during the day, which had become a more difficult task now that Allie was crawling everywhere, sleeping less, and demanding more attention and playtime. She came highly recommended from Winn’s girlfriend, Kate, who he’d met after Allie had unceremoniously projectile vomited during brunch (which Kara STILL gave him a hard time about on a regular basis). 

Emily must have brought Allie as part of one of their outings. The ceremony was at a park where they frequently took Allie to play, and they must have been there and decided to see the ceremony. Emily was wearing Allie in the Ergo baby carrier so that she was facing forward, and Kara could see the expression of pure joy on Allie’s face. It was the same expression that Allie got every time she saw Kara or Lena. 

Kara’s brow furrowed slightly. Allie couldn’t recognize her, could she? She was just a baby, there was no way…

But then, Kara heard it. 

“Mama!” It was only loud enough for Kara to hear with her superhearing- no one else in the crowd, save for the ones closest to Allie, would pick it up. But it was clear as a bell to Kara.

Kara tried to focus on Cat and the award in her hands, but Allie’s voice cut through it all.

“Mama! Mama!”

“Shhhhhhhh!” Kara heard Emily whisper gently. “That’s not your mama sweet girl, that’s Supergirl. Mama’s at work, remember?”

Kara felt Cat place the award in her hands, and the claps and cheers from the crowd drowned out her daughter’s voice. There was a few moments of posing for pictures before Kara and Cat walked to the car waiting for them. They had to walk by the front row of people. Cat, wearing her best false smile, was waving at the crowd, and Kara tried to do the same. But when she passed by Allie, she almost fell apart.

“Mama!” Allie said excitedly, reaching her arms out for Kara and pulling Emily forward with her enthusiasm. “Mama, mama!” 

The look on her face was of pure joy and love, and Kara knew she was expecting her to reach out for her, pick her up, and give her a big kiss. But Kara couldn’t- she had to keep on walking by. She made the mistake of glancing back slightly, and her heart broke at the look on Allie’s face- it was a look of utter hurt and disappointment, her lower lip trembling, and Kara’s heart broke even more as she had to listen to Allie’s cries as she made her way to the car. 

By the time they reached the limo, Kara was practically in tears herself. Cat looked over at her and a strange look came over her face. She pushed a button and a partition came up that separated herself and Kara from the driver. 

“I saw Alura in the crowd,” she said in a soft voice that Kara had very rarely heard her use. “And I heard what she said to you when we were passing by.”

Kara was too upset to even try to correct Cat, or keep pretending that she was Supergirl. She felt the tears spill out. “She knew.”

“Of course she knew,” Cat said. “You’re one of her two favorite people in the world, Keira. She knows what you look like, what you smell like, and how you move. I’d say she knows you better than anyone, except for maybe your wife. You’re the center of her universe. She’d know you anywhere and in any costume.”

“She was so upset when I didn’t pick her up. I just IGNORED her!”

“You had to.”

“I know I had to!” Kara cried. “But that doesn’t make it any easier! I HURT her! I disappointed her!”

“Did you think that’s the last time you’re going to disappoint her?” Cat said, her voice suddenly sharp. “It may have been the first time but it’s far from the last.”

Kara could feel the crinkle form between her brows. “What do you mean?”

“You’re going to disappoint her all the time. You’ll forget to pick her up from school, or you’ll have to work late and miss a dance recital or a soccer game. You’ll overreact when she does something wrong, and will yell at her more harshly than she deserves. You’ll say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Take it from someone who still manages to disappoint her children on almost a daily basis- it’s part of being a parent.”

“I know, but seeing the look on my face made my heart feel like it was tearing in two,” Kara said, wiping away her tears.

“I know that look well,” Cat said, her voice soft again. “It was the look that Adam gave me every time I dropped him off at his father’s house in Opal City and left to go back to Metropolis. He would call to me to please stay, to not leave him. It broke my heart but I knew it was what was best for him. And you did what was best for her.”

“If people knew that Supergirl had a daughter… it would be disastrous, wouldn’t it?” Kara said sadly. “She’d be a target.”

“One of your jobs as a parent is to protect your children,” Cat said. “And you’ve done a great job of protecting her. You’re a good mother, Kara.” It was one of the only times in Kara’s memory that Cat had actually called her by her right name. “And I know what a good mother looks like, because I had a bad one. And I WAS a bad one at times. But you’re something else. I see the way that you look at her, the way you interact with her. She thinks you hung the stars.”

“So what do I do?” Kara asked.

“You go home and pick her up and say you’re sorry. She won’t remember it, and even if she did, she’d forgive you. No matter how much you disappoint them, if you apologize, and really mean it, and do your best to show them that you’ll be better, they’ll forgive you. Kids are pretty resilient.”

Kara nodded. “Thanks. This has meant a lot.”

“You underestimate yourself sometimes, Keira,” Cat said. “You’re a great mother. And a great reporter. And a great hero.”

Kara smiled at her. “I learned from the best.”

Cat winked at her. “Now, let’s get going. You’ve got a little girl at home who will be wanting to see you, and I’ve got a conference call with a reporter in Shanghai in 30 minutes.” She leaned forward and pushed a button that lowered the partition between them and the driver. “Can you move any slower? Supergirl and I have places to be that are FAR more important than what your job is worth…”

**

Kara opened the door to her apartment and walked in to the smell of something amazing cooking. It was 6:30 and Lena was home and had already made dinner. Lena and Allie were in the living room, and Lena was playing with Allie on the floor. 

“Mama!” Allie said excitedly when Kara came into the room. She crawled over to her as fast as her chubby 10-month-old legs would carry her, and when she reached Kara she tugged on Kara’s pants, demanding to be picked up. 

Kara bent down and picked her up. “Hi baby girl!” she said. She gave her a soft kiss on the lips before cuddling her close. “I’m sorry about ignoring you earlier,” she whispered into her hair. “You’re too little to understand right now, but I did it because I want to protect you. You came into a kinda crazy family, but I want you to live as normally as you can for as long as you can. I’ll explain it all to you someday, I promise.”

“Having a top secret conversation?” Lena asked. She had moved from her spot on the floor to join Allie and Kara. She gave Kara a quick kiss. 

“You know, Emily told me the oddest thing today,” Lena said. “She said she took Allie to the park and Supergirl was getting an award, so they decided to watch. Allie was apparently convinced that Supergirl was her mama. Emily said that she called out for her several times. Emily thought it was very cute how she got so confused.”

Kara gulped, and gave Lena a rundown of the situation. Lena, sensing that Kara still felt badly about it, rubbed her arm reassuringly.

“You did the right thing,” she said. “I know that it hurts, but it was what had to be done.”

Kara looked down at Allie, who had removed her glasses and was busy chewing on the frames (luckily, they were built by Lena, who designed them to be resistant enough to withstand the ownership of a somewhat clumsy and forgetful Kryptonian). Kara ran her fingers through Allie’s dark curls. “We’ll have to tell her eventually.”

“I know,” Lena said. “We’ll tell her when the time is right. But for now, let’s just let her be little. Let’s just protect her and let her live as normal of a life as she can.”  
She gave Kara a kiss, and then winked at her. “And thank you for not saying anything about how a 10-month-old realized that you were Supergirl but it took me over two years.”

Kara laughed. “What can I say? I guess our daughter’s just smarter than you. I mean she’s DEFINITELY smarter than me, but I guess she’s smarter than you too,”

“I can’t fault you on that,” Lena said with a laugh. She kissed Kara again. “I’m glad I have you two girls. You make my life better.”

Kara rested her head on Lena’s shoulder. “We’re definitely a weird family, but we’re a good one. At least, I think we are.”

“We are,” Lena said. “And I’m glad that I got to make this weird, wonderful little family with you.”


	18. Getting Serious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara spends the night on a work night for the very first time.

The blaring sound of Lena’s alarm cut through the silence of the morning. Lena felt the vibration from Kara’s muffled groan against the back of her neck, where Kara had buried her face during the night. Lena gently rubbed Kara’s arm, which was lightly thrown around her waist.

“Time to wake up,” she whispered.

Kara mumbled something unintelligible.

“What was that?” Lena asked.

“I said it’s too early,” Kara answered, her voice rough from sleep.

“I told you last night that I woke up at 5:15 on work days.”

“But WHY?” Kara groaned. “You don’t have to be at work until 9:00.”

“YOU don’t have to be at work until 9. I get in the office at 8, and that’s if I’m really running late. And you also have to remember that not all of us have superspeed and actually need a couple of hours to get ready.”

Kara huffed again. “You could at least stay in bed a few minutes and cuddle.”

Lena smiled before turning in Kara’s arms so that she was pressed against her chest. She nuzzled her nose against Kara’s neck before placing a gentle kiss on her jaw. 

“It’s the first time you’ve stayed over on a work night,” she said.

Kara hadn’t meant to spend the night (or so she said). She and Lena hadn’t seen each other for a couple of days, and Kara had just intended to come over to watch a few episodes of The Office and make out on the couch for a while. But by the time they had finished making out (they ignored The Office altogether), Kara conveniently claimed to be too tired to fly home. 

“Hadn’t realized that,” Kara said innocently, but Lena could feel her smiling against her forehead.

After a few minutes of soft, quiet kissing, Lena pulled away slowly.

“As much as I want to continue with this, I DO need to get ready for work.”

Kara whined a bit.

“Oh, don’t give me that,” Lena said teasingly. “You know, I have to take a shower… and I wouldn’t mind some company while I do it.”

“Well when you put it THAT way…”

Lena laughed and sat up, giving Kara her hand as they made their way into Lena’s ensuite bathroom.

Lena stripped off her pajamas and panties, throwing them into the dirty clothes hamper in the corner of the bathroom. As Lena made her way to the overly large shower to turn the water on, she caught sight of Kara ogling her. 

“Your eyes look like they’re about to fall out of your head,” she said with a smirk.

“You… you’re just… do you know what you do to me?” Kara stammered.

“I have a pretty good idea,” Lena said breathily. As she waited for the water to warm up, she sidled over to Kara and rubbed against her side. She felt a shudder run down Kara’s body as her breast pressed against the bare skin of her arm. 

“I think you’re a little overdressed for a shower,” she whispered in Kara’s ear, slyly licking her earlobe when she finished talking. She felt another shudder. 

“Yeah, I was just going to… yeah…” 

“You’re hopeless, darling,” Lena said, laughing as she grasped the bottom of the large MIT tshirt she’d given Kara to sleep in and pulled it over her head. Once Kara’s tshirt and underwear were off, they climbed into the shower. 

It was wonderfully exciting to shower with her girlfriend. Lena claimed that she didn’t have time for any frisky antics, but she and Kara DID manage to get some more kisses in before they had to actually start getting ready. Kara scrubbed Lena’s back, and then they switched places, and Lena washed Kara’s. They washed and conditioned their hair, then both stepped out of the shower and dried off.

Kara’s brow furrowed as she finished toweling off. “Oh….” she said, slightly worried.

“What’s wrong?” Lena asked.

“I have to go home after all,” Kara said. “I only have my clothes from yesterday, and Cat Grant would DIE if she noticed that I’m wearing the same outfit. I also don’t have any underwear, and I’m not wearing the old pair again because GROSS.”

Lena laughed. “I’ll lend you a pair of panties that you can wear until you get home.”

“My hero,” Kara said, in a false dramatic voice that made Lena laugh.

“You know,” Lena said, “you could leave a few things here. If you wanted.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, some clothes, underwear, makeup. Things like that. That way you wouldn’t have to rush off home before work.”

Kara’s eyebrows shot up. “That sounds… I don’t know, we’ve only been together for a month but I guess it sounds like we’re getting kinda serious.”

“I’m not kinda serious about us,” Lena said firmly. “I’m VERY serious about us.”

Kara smiled. “Me, too.”

“I like having you stay the night,” Lena said. “Not just for sex, but for watching tv and going to bed together while I sleep in my rattiest sweats and put my retainer in. And I like getting ready next to you in the morning. It just feels… right.”

“I like staying the night, too,” Kara said. She leaned forward to give Lena a quick kiss on the lips. “And I’ll have you know, I love you in your rattiest sweats and your retainer.”

“Don’t speak too soon,” Lena said. “You’ll have to reevaluate how you feel about me next week when I’ve got my period and you see me in my gross granny panties and I have zits on my chin and am stuffing my face with chocolate.”

Kara laughed. “I think I’ll love you even more then.”

Lena rested her head on Kara’s shoulder. “I like what we’re building here. For the first time in my life, it’s something that feels… real.”

“It is real,” Kara said. “It’s real, and it’s strong, and I can already tell, it’s the start of something wonderful.”


	19. A Mother's Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliza realizes that Lena doesn't have a mother to help her through the early days of motherhood, and gives her some advice that she learned in her own new days as a parent.

It had been exactly one week since Allie’s birth, and it was the hardest night that the new mothers had so far. Allie was up more than once an hour screaming, and Kara and Lena tried EVERYTHING to calm her. Lena tried nursing her, but she refused to latch on for more than a few seconds. They snuggled her, kissed her, sang to her, tried putting her in her Mamaroo, and Kara even picked her up and gently floated around the room with her, which only succeeded in making her cry even more. Eliza was still staying with them, and even with her tried-and-true tricks, she was unable to get the baby to stop screaming.

Finally, at 10:00 that morning, at Eliza’s advice, Kara flew to the store (actually FLEW- it was that urgent!) and picked up some gas drops, and that seemed to actually do the trick. A relieved and exhausted baby fell asleep on her back in Kara and Lena’s bed, and a relieved and exhausted Kara fell asleep beside her minutes later. Lena peeked into the bedroom, watching as her two girls slept- Kara snoring slightly, Allie letting out little squeaks every once and a while. It was the sweetest sight she’d ever seen, but she still felt utterly defeated from the challenging night. She was exhausted and knew she needed to sleep, too, but she couldn’t- she had too much on her mind.

She wandered out to the balcony. It had always been one of her favorite places. It was where she had always come to think, and it was where Supergirl had often joined her for late-night conversations before she found out her secret. She and Kara had placed an outdoor couch and rug on the balcony, and she couldn’t wait to bring Allie out for feedings, snuggles, playtime, and family time. 

As she sat on the couch and stared out over the city, she heard a gentle knocking on the window frame. She glanced up and saw Eliza smiling at her. “Mind if I join?”

Lena smiled back at her. “Of course!” She and Kara had been married for two and a half years, but she still felt a bit guarded around Eliza. She had no reason to feel that way- Eliza had been nothing but sweet and welcoming. Lena was just afraid that her mother-in-law may, for some reason, still harbor doubts about Lena due to her family’s troubling past regarding Superman and Supergirl. 

Eliza sat beside Lena and patted her knee. “How are you doing?”

“I’m….” Lena struggled to put how she was feeling into words. Exhausted. Overwhelmed. In pain. But also more in love with her wife and daughter than she ever had been. 

She didn’t know what it was- perhaps the fact that she was absolutely exhausted, perhaps the fact that her hormones were still totally out of what, or perhaps it was simply the kind, caring look on Eliza’s face. But, all of a sudden, Lena started to cry. “Sorry, I’m sorry…” she said, trying to wipe the tears but somehow making herself actually cry harder.

“Oh, Lena…” Eliza said, a sympathetic look crossing her face. She wrapped her arm around Lena’s shoulder.

“It’s just… I love Allie, more than anything, I really do. But I feel so unprepared for being a parent. If you hadn’t thought of the gas drops I don’t know what we would have done. I’m still having trouble swaddling her, and we didn’t know how to bathe her until you taught us. “

She wiped at her eyes again and kept talking. 

“And there’s so much that no one told me about having a baby! I didn’t know that I would still be bleeding heavily after a week. The pad I’m wearing is practically a diaper! And it still hurts to walk and I’m scared every time I have to go to the bathroom that I’ll pop the stiches somehow. And everyone told me that nursing would be this wonderful bonding experience, and it is, but I didn’t know it would hurt so much. My boobs hurt and my nipples hurt and… I know that’s too much information, but I haven’t even told Kara how much it hurts yet because she just wouldn’t understand. It’s just…” she let out a gasping sob, “so new, and so hard, and I’m not cut out for this.”

Eliza rubbed her arm reassuringly. It had occurred to her, more than once, that Lena didn’t have her mother with her in her own early days of motherhood. Her real mother was dead, and Lillian Luthor was the worst mother one could come by. When Eliza was pregnant with Alex, her mother had been beside her the whole way, answering questions, no matter how embarrassing or personal, giving advice and reassurance, and just being present when she needed her most. Eliza had tried to be as helpful as she could during the time she was staying with Lena and Kara. She taught them how to bathe Allie, dress her, burp her, swaddle her, and prevent diaper rash. She cooked dinner for them, went shopping, and washed all the baby clothes so that Allie would have a whole host of clean outfits to wear. But Lena hadn’t asked any questions about the more difficult parts of motherhood- post-partum healing, and breastfeeding, and the baby blues (and it seemed that Lena may be feeling a bit of the baby blues now). 

“I felt the same way when Alex was born,” Eliza said.

Lena sniffed. “You did?”

“Yep,” Eliza answered. “Alex was a difficult baby.” 

Lena gave off a short laugh. “Somehow that isn’t a surprise.”

Eliza smiled. “It’s really not, is it? She had colic and for the first six weeks, when she wasn’t asleep, she was screaming. And she tore me to pieces when she nursed. I BLED. It was excruciatingly painful, and at the very beginning, I wanted to give up. But you know what? It got easier. It didn’t all come naturally at first, but after a few weeks, I understood her better. What she needed, and how to take care of her. I learned how to get her to latch better so that it didn’t hurt so much when she ate. And I realized that she was so upset because she had a gassy stomach, and I figured out how to make her less gassy so that she could feel better. She became a happy and more comfortable baby, and I became a happy and more comfortable mother. It’s not easy for ANYONE, but it does get easier over time, I promise.”

“Is it okay for me to say that I’m having a little bit of trouble believing that right now?” Lena asked.

Eliza laughed. “I don’t blame you at all! I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but it will get better, you’ll see.”

Lena sniffed, wiped her eyes, and gave off a short laugh. “I’ll take your word for it, but for now, seeing is believing.”

“You have to remember, even though she’s a newborn, Allie’s a distinct little person, too. She’s got her own wants and needs, likes and dislikes. It’s just like any time when you’re getting to know someone. You have to be around them for a little bit, and observe them. Once you’ve gotten to know her for a few weeks, you’ll start getting the hang of things.”

“Kara and I were just saying last night that we think that we’re starting to be able to tell her cries apart. When she’s hungry, or when she needs a diaper change, or when she just needs to be held and snuggled for a bit. It’s not so much that the cries sound different, but it’s all about timing. Like, if it’s been about 30 minutes since she ate, she’s not hungry again, but probably has a dirty diaper. And we already know she likes being swaddled, and falls asleep best if she’s being rocked or in her Mamaroo.”

“That’s exactly it,” Eliza said. She gave Lena a reassuring smile. “I know it can be hard to talk about more personal things, but just know that you can ask me ANYTHING. No matter how embarrassing it is or how personal it is. My mother was invaluable when it came to that kind of advice after I’d had Alex. I know that… well… I know how your mother is, and if you need a mother figure, just know that I’m here.”

Lena felt tears come to her eyes again. “Oh Eliza… you don’t know how much that means to me.”

Eliza rubbed her arm again. “Do you want to talk about anything?”

Lena smiled. “As a matter of fact…”

For the next hour, Lena and Eliza had a no-holds-barred discussion about what to expect in the early days of motherhood. They talked about how long to expect post-partum bleeding, how long it took for swelling to go down in the stomach (even after a week, Lena still looked slightly pregnant), how to deal with cracked nipples and mastitis, how to get poop out of clothes (this conversation led to lots of laughs from both women as Eliza recounted some of Alex’s more embarrassing moments as an infant, which Lena FOR SURE was going to bring up later), to a slightly awkward but much-needed discussion about sex after a baby (there wasn’t too much to say except to take time, be delicate, and find a time when the baby was napping). 

Their conversation was interrupted when Kara walked out, holding a squalling Allie in the crook of one arm and a Boppy nursing pillow in the other hand. 

“Sorry to interrupt, but someone’s hungry.”

Lena smiled and held out her arms. Kara handed her the nursing pillow and helped get Allie situated as Lena undid her top. In the past few days she’d gotten over any embarrassment about breastfeeding in front of people. Jess had once told her that once you start breastfeeding, a nipple starts to look no different or naughty than a belly button. 

She used the method Eliza had taught her to get Allie latched on better. “Oh my gosh!” she said as the baby began to eat. “This doesn’t hurt.”

Kara’s brow furrowed. “Has it been hurting?”

“A little,” Lena admitted. “But Eliza gave me a great tip about how to position her so it’s not so painful.”

Kara turned to Eliza. “You did?”

“Yep,” Eliza said with a smile. “Been there, done that.”

“What else did you all talk about?” Kara asked.

Lena laughed. “What a difficult baby your sister was. Honestly, after hearing some of those stories, it’s no wonder they decided not to have anymore biological children.”

Kara and Eliza both laughed. 

“Got any stories that I can use to embarrass her later?” Kara asked. 

“Boy, do I…” Eliza said with a smile. 

For the rest of the hour, the three women sat on the balcony, sharing stories, getting and giving more advice, and passing the baby around for kisses and snuggles. Parenthood was a challenging journey, but a wonderful one, and sometimes, the advice of someone older and wiser was exactly what the new parents needed to get through the early days of parenthood.


	20. Streaky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara brings home a cat after a Supergirl mission- and Lena isn't so sure about it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little different interpretation than the show about how Kara got Streaky. I hope you all enjoy!

The first thing that Kara said when she opened the balcony window was “Okay, you have to PROMISE not to be mad at me.”

Lena had been married to Kara long enough to know that her coming home and saying “Okay, you have to PROMISE not to be mad at me,” was not a good a sign. It happened when she backed the car into a pillar in the parking garage; when she accidentally washed Lena’s $500 white blouse with a new pair of red jeans, dyeing it pink; or when she ate $400 worth of pizza and Chinese takeout when Lena was away for the weekend. Lena was rarely actually mad, and usually just slightly annoyed and highly amused at most, but it was always a little nerve-wracking to see what Kara had gotten into. 

Lena looked up from her laptop. “What is it this time?” she asked with a sigh. It was 10:30 at night; the baby was asleep in her crib, Lena was checking some spreadsheets for a meeting the next day, and Kara had been out since 7, when she got the call that a rogue robot was terrorizing the streets of downtown. 

Kara, still in full Supergirl regalia, was holding something small, black, and furry. Suddenly, at the sound of Lena’s voice, a head popped up from where it had been resting in Kara’s elbow. Lena saw a pair of large green eyes and pointed ears (one missing the very top tip). 

Lena’s eyes opened wide. “Kara Danvers that had better not be a cat.”

“I can explain…” Kara said, moving over to sit down next to Lena.

“Do NOT bring it near my furniture, you have no clue what kind of…. Creatures…” Lena winced- “might be on it!” 

“Okay, okay…” Kara said, backing away. “It was right in the middle of the fight with the robot, and I saw it run across the street. It was like a little black streak. I was afraid the robot would hurt it, but it found a place to hide. When the fight was over I went and looked for it, and found it cowering in a cardboard box. When it saw me it came out and let me pet it, and started purring. It’s so friendly and sweet! I couldn’t just LEAVE it!” 

“Can you take it to a shelter tomorrow?” Lena asked.

Kara put on her famous pout. “I don’t want to take it to a shelter. Some of them are okay but some of them are kill shelters, and I don’t want anything to happen to it. It’s such a good cat.”

“We’re not keeping it,” Lena said firmly.

“But LEEEEEENA,” Kara whined. “Look at it!” The cat seemed perfectly content in Kara’s arms, and Lena hated to admit it, but it did look very cute, and she could hear it purring all the way from where she was sitting. “We’ve been talking about getting a pet for a while….” 

In Kara’s defense, they had been discussing getting a pet. Kara had a cat growing up, and the Luthor’s had a variety of very expensive, exotic dogs. They wanted Allie to grow up with an animal so she wouldn’t be afraid of them, and they had also heard that babies who grew up with pets were less likely to have allergies. But Lena hadn’t been expecting to get a cat just at that moment, especially not a dirty, “hoodrat” cat from the street.

Lena sighed- the pout was working. “Take it to the vet tomorrow and make sure it’s healthy. And keep it in the guest bathroom tonight- I don’t want any fleas or who-knows-what-else getting on my furniture. And it is NOT going to be sleeping in the bed with us. EVER.”

Kara smiled widely and rushed in to give Lena a smacking kiss on the lips. “You’ll love it, you know you will!” she said gleefully. 

Lena accepted the kiss and smiled ruefully. “We’ll see,” she said, still not entirely convinced that adopting a cat was a good idea- or that she would actually like it. Lena had always been more of a dog person. She looked closer at the cat. Its eyes had closed as Kara was scratching its head, and it was still purring contentedly. This couldn’t be too bad, right? Lena reached out to tentatively scratch its back, and the purring continued. 

“See? She likes you,” Kara said softly.

“She?” Lena asked with a smile.

“I think it’s a girl,” Kara said. “We can’t keep calling the cat ‘it’ forever. I looked earlier and I didn’t see any male… parts.” She blushed. “Plus, my cat growing up was a girl. I like girl cats.”

“Why don’t we have a bet for the vet visit tomorrow,” Lena said. “You say girl, I say boy.”

Kara snorted. “Oh, you are SO on! If I win we get to have takeout every night for a week.”

Lena smiled slyly. “Deal. And if I win, I get to pick whatever we do in bed for a month.”

Kara gasped. 

“Oh, don’t act like you won’t love it,” Lena said with a laugh. She shut her computer. “Now, come on. You put that thing in the bathroom and let’s go to bed. Maybe it’ll be your last chance at calling the shots for a while.”

She got up from the couch and laughed as she left Kara, her mouth agape, in the living room.

**

The next morning, Lena was playing on the floor with Allie when Kara and the cat got back from the vet. It was a Saturday, so Lena didn’t have to go in to work. Allie, who Lena thought might be the world’s busiest baby, was “helping” Lena build a tower with soft blocks with letters on them. Lena would read the letters to her as she stacked them on top of each other, and once the “tower” was six blocks high, Allie squealed delightedly as she surged forward to knock it down. 

“So? What’s the verdict?” Lena asked.

Kara set the cat carrier on the ground (she had bought one at the vet’s) and Lena could hear the cat meowing inside it, clearly wanting out. 

Kara sighed. “It’s a boy. Apparently male cats don’t have parts that are visible like dogs do.”

Lena winked. “I guess you’re glad that you got to top last night, aren’t you?”

“Oh, HA HA.” Kara said with a groan. “In all seriousness, though, he’s really healthy. The vet says he’s about 9 months old- the same age as Allie.” Kara walked over and picked Allie up, ignoring the squeal of protest from disturbing her game. She blew a loud raspberry on her neck, which made her giggle. “Did you hear that? Your kitty brother is the same age as you!” 

Lena rolled her eyes when Kara said “kitty brother.” “Did you arrange a time for him to be neutered?”

“That’s another good thing,” Kara said. “He’s actually already been neutered. You see that his ear is missing the tip, right? Well, that means he was part of a ‘trap, neuter, release’ program. Volunteers trap feral cats and take them to the vets, where they’re neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. So he’s up-to-date on all of his vaccines, too. And, he does NOT have fleas. But we did get some flea medicine to put on him monthly. I stopped at the pet store next door and got him a collar and name tag.” She carried Allie over to the bag that she had set on the kitchen counter and pulled out a red collar with a bell and a name tag on it. She handed it to Allie, who began shaking it immediately to make it jingle. 

“Here, let’s go show Mommy,” Kara said. She went back to Lena and took the collar from Allie (who started crying in annoyance, but a quick kiss and jiggle from her Mama calmed her quickly). 

Lena looked at the collar. “Streaky?”

“Yeah,” Kara said. “I think it fits. He was like a black streak when he ran in front of me.”

Lena smiled. “Streaky it is, then. Should we get him out of the carrier, now?” 

“Yeah!” Kara said happily. “Want to meet him, Allie?” she asked. Allie babbled in assent. Kara brought her over to the carrier and knelt down beside it. “Be gentle, okay?”

She unzipped the carrier and Streaky walked out, clearly still quite offended after having been cooped up for so long. Lena had to admit, he really was a dashing looking cat. He wasn’t big, but Kara had proclaimed that some time on some good food would fill him out in no time. 

Kara held on to Allie as Streaky slowly moved forward to sniff at her. Allie had only been around Alex and Jess’s dog, and she LOVED him, so Kara was hopeful that she would love Streaky, too. 

“He won’t scratch her, will he?” Lena asked, slightly worried.

“I asked the vet, and he said to just watch her when she’s around him, and to remind her to be very gentle. By the time she’s more independent she’ll know not to be rough with him.” Kara held Allie’s little hand and guided it to place it on Streaky’s head. “This is Streaky. He’s our new cat. Cats say ‘MEOW!’” Allie giggled at Kara’s cat impression. Kara kissed her cheek. “Be very, very gentle with him. See, just like that. Good girl, Allie!” She helped Allie very gently pet Streaky, and Lena could hear his purrs start from where she was sitting. 

She quietly moved to join her wife and daughter, and cautiously moved to start petting him, too. Streaky nuzzled his face into her hand, and surprisingly, Lena felt her heart start to melt a little bit. He really was a sweet cat. 

“Do you want to put your collar on?” Kara asked him. “That way you’ll REALLY be ours!” She grabbed the collar from Lena and adjusted it to fit Streaky’s neck. “Welcome to the family, Streaky!” she said happily. “We already love you a lot!”

**

Over the next few days and weeks, Streaky made himself at home in the apartment. Kara bought him a large cat tree, which she sat beside the largest window in the home so he could watch what was happening on the streets below and sun himself. He also had plenty of toys that he could play with independently, and that he could play with Kara and Lena. 

It was immediately clear that Streaky and Allie were going to be best friends. Allie LOVED him. She loved crawling over to him when he was lying on the floor, and would try to hug him (which really amounted to her rolling on top of him, which he tolerated for a bit until getting out from under the wriggling baby). Kara or Lena would hold her when Streaky came to join them on the couch or the bed and help her “pet” him gently, and would praise her for being so gentle and sweet with him. He usually followed them in to wake her up in the morning or from her nap, and once, when Kara had accidentally left her bedroom door open during naptime, she came in to find that Streaky had joined Allie in the crib, and was curled up next to her as she slept, purring contentedly. He also loved bathtime, and when they bathed her in the sink, he loved jumping on the counter and playing with the bubbles, making Allie laugh with delight. 

Kara, of course, loved him. She played with him for at least 30 minutes every night, and he often joined her on the couch during the day when Allie was napping and she was writing a story for CatCo. Lena often came home from work to find Kara on the floor, playing with Streaky and Allie and laughing heartily. 

Even Lena found herself falling for the little guy. With good food and lots of love and care, Streaky had developed into a handsome cat. Streaky would join her at the breakfast nook as she drank her coffee, and would lie next to her on the couch when she did work in the evening. When she nursed Allie to sleep at night, he loved to curl up at the top of the rocking chair and purr. And even though Lena had been adamant that Streaky would NOT be sleeping in the bed with her and Kara, more often then not, she would wake up to find the warm kitty sleeping at the food of their bed, or in between the two of them. 

Before long, both Kara and Lena had forgotten what life was like without Streaky in it. He brought more warm snuggles, laughs, purrs, and calm to their lives, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.


	21. Beautiful, Part 1: The Gala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few moments where Kara thinks Lena is the most beautiful woman in the world. Part 1 comes early in their friendship at an L-Corp gala.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this on my lunch break on my iPhone so any spelling/grammar errors will be corrected!

Beautiful 

The Gala

As a rule, Kara hated galas. They were too fancy, too stifling, and although the food was usually amazing, she always had to reign herself in so she wouldn’t look like she was eating too much. She hated networking, and she hated the fake ness of it all. She would take a games night with friends or eating Chinese takeout on the couch with Alex over a fancy dinner any day. 

She especially hated galas where she had to be there as Supergirl. She usually did a great job of separating her two identities, but when she was as miserable as she typically was at galas, it was a challenge to keep up the strong, confident Supergirl persona.

This gala was especially challenging, however, because she had to be there as both Supergirl AND Kara Danvers. It was celebrating the official re-branding of Luthor Corp as L-Corp and its move to National City, and Lena had personally invited both Kara and Supergirl. She had only known Lena for a few weeks, but she already knew that she was quickly developing a crush on the young CEO. When Kara told Lena (both as herself and as Supergirl) that she would LOVE to come, the smile that came on Lena’s face made her heart skip several beats. 

Kara had convinced (okay- BRIBED) J’onn to go as Supergirl. He had the confident persona down, but the tights still bothered him, and Kara had to send frantic mental signals to him every few minutes that Supergirl could NOT be pictured scratching at her bottom. 

Kara was idly sipping a glass of wine (which unfortunately had no effect on her- she wouldn’t mind being a little tipsy to liven things up) and pretending to listen to a pompous young businessman who was obviously trying to chat her up when she saw Lena for the first time that night. And the sight of her made the whole evening, as uncomfortable as it had been, more than worth it.

Lena was wearing a royal blue ball gown that gorgeously contrasted with the alabaster pale of her skin. It was a halter top, so her back and shoulders were gloriously bare, and her hair was swept into an elegant up-do. Her eyes were green, but the blue gown made them appear almost blue. 

“Oh, Rao,” Kara whispered to herself when she saw her. 

Half in a trance, she muttered “It was nice chatting with you, Sam,” to the businessmen, and didn’t even hear his offended “My name’s Mark” as she walked away. She actually had to check herself to make sure that she wasn’t floating. 

“Lena.... hi,” she stammered, still in awe of the gorgeous woman in front of her. Lena was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman in the room.

A smile lit up Lena’s face. “Kara! You came!” she said, clearly thrilled. She grasped Kara’s hands tightly, holding on for perhaps a moment too long.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Kara said with a smile, releasing Lena’s hands with a fond squeeze. “You look amazing.” 

“So do you!” Lena said.

Kara vaguely gestured down to her own black dress. “Oh, this is not.... but YOU... wow.” 

Lena smiled. She was well aware of the effect that she was having on Kara, and was thoroughly enjoying every second of it. She glanced over to “Supergirl,” who was listening to Cat Grant brag about something or other. She looked slightly (okay, VERY) constipated.

“Is Supergirl okay? She looks a bit... uncomfortable.” 

“Oh, she’s fine,” Kara said quickly. “She’s just a little socially awkward.”

“Really?” Lena asked. “She’s always seemed very pleasant and confident when I’ve been around her.”

“I think it’s just big groups,” Kara said dismissively. 

Lena knew she had to work the room, but she would much rather have stayed and chatted with Kara. She reached out for Kara’s hand again. “I’m so glad you could come,” she said quietly. “It means the world to me.” 

“I’m glad I could come, too,” Kara said, absentmindedly running her thumb over Lena’s knuckles. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” 

The two women looked into each others’ eyes for just a moment, and although it would take more than two years to admit it, it was at that moment that both of them, simultaneously, would realize that they were head over heels in love with the other.


	22. Beautiful, Part 2: Sweatpants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena is on her period and feels gross, but Kara thinks she's the most beautiful woman on the planet.

Kara smiled when she heard her iPhone ping and looked to see that the text was from Lena. They’d already been dating for a month, but she still got butterflies every time she remembered that Lena Luthor was her girlfriend, and that Lena LOVED her, and that she got to kiss Lena, and have sex with Lena, and, (her favorite), nuzzle her nose into the soft space between Lena’s neck and shoulder while they were watching tv and surround herself the smell of Lena’s shampoo and a hint of something sharp, her toothpaste or deodorant, and something so tantalizing it could only be described simply as LENA. It had probably been the best month of Kara’s life. 

Kara’s let out a laugh when she saw the message. 

“My uterus is trying to kill me. I feel like shit and look like shit. Don’t come over if you want to preserve my impeccable style reputation.” 

“You know I HAVE to come over then!” Kara responded. “Is there anything I can bring that would help you feel better?”

The reply came immediately. “Super absorbent tampons, a jumbo bag of salt and vinegar chips, and your National City University sweatshirt.” The sweatshirt was a favorite of Lena’s- she always wore it when she stayed over at Kara’s, and Kara was inclined, at this point, to just go ahead and give it to her. 

“Be there in 10,” Kara typed back. 

In the end, she brought bags of Lena’s 2 favorite kinds of chips (salt and vinegar and Cool Ranch Doritos), chocolate, 2 different kinds of tampons, the sweatshirt, and a pair of pajamas for her (since she assumed she would be staying the night). She also placed a massive order for Chinese takeout. 

She pulled out her key (they’d exchanged apartment keys the day after they started dating) and let herself into Lena’s apartment. When she saw her girlfriend, she had to hold back a laugh.

Lena was sprawled on the couch, clutching a hot water bottle to her lower stomach. She wasn’t wearing her usual sleek outfits, but a pair of worn sweatpants she’d owned since 2004 and an old, extra-large MIT tshirt she’d owned for almost as long. She’d piled her hair into a messy bun on top of her head, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. 

And although the image was funny at first, Kara was immediately struck by the fact that, even in ratty sweatpants and no makeup, Lena Luthor was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen in her life. Lena looked younger without makeup, and more innocent, in a way. Her skin was clear and pale, only marred by a small, hormonal pimple that had cropped up below her bottom lip. Her eyes looked even more green than usual without any eye shadow or eyeliner. But Kara knew now that Lena’s beauty wasn’t just on the outside- her true beauty was within: her strength, her intelligence, her kindness, her fierce loyalty and love. 

Lena’s face completely lit up when she saw Kara. Kara was again struck by how utterly beautiful she was. 

“I come bearing gifts,” Kara said happily. 

Lena’s face quickly stretched into a wry smile. “My hero,” she said, the sarcasm in her voice evident. 

Kara came over to the couch and immediately planted a succession of quick kisses on Lena’s lips. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit,” Lena said honestly. “I’m seriously considering clawing my uterus out.”

“I’m sorry,” Kara said honestly. She also got periods, but they were light, only lasted three days, and she didn’t bloat or have cramps. Lena and Alex had both told her that they hated her for it numerous times.

“My house mother in boarding school always said a hard period was a good thing. She said it meant that the baby-making factory was working well and that lots of children were in my future. I wanted to punch her whenever she said that.”

Kara laughed, but she also suddenly had a vision come into her head, one she hadn’t thought of before: Lena cradling a full, rounded stomach, and a dark-haired girl flying with her through the air. She got a funny feeling in her stomach, but didn’t say anything to Lena about it. 

Kara reached into the shopping bag and started pulling out items. “Tampons, chocolate, chips…” 

Lena surged forward to kiss her. “You are officially the best girlfriend on the planet. And off the planet.”

Kara laughed. “I don’t know, I think I have some stiff competition. You’re pretty amazing, yourself.”

Lena stuck out her tongue. “You’re just trying to get me in your pants later.”

Kara gasped in mock offense. “I would do no such thing.” She kissed Lena again. “Want to snuggle a little bit until the Chinese arrives?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Lena said. 

Kara lay down lengthwise on the couch. She reached to her back and unclasped her bra, pulling it out from under her shirt and throwing it over the arm of the couch, whispering “Much better.” Lena giggled- she knew the value of taking off your bra at the end of a long day. Lena settled herself on top of Kara and buried her head against Kara’s chest with a deep and comfortable sigh.

“Has anyone ever told you that you have great boobs?” Lena murmured contentedly.

“You,” Kara said with a smile, loosening Lena’s hair from its bun and stroking her fingers through it absentmindedly. In all honesty, Kara didn’t think that she had great breasts. They were a bit on the smaller side, especially compared to Lena, who had ample breasts. Kara loved squeezing them, kneading them, sucking on them, and simply laying her head against them. But Lena truly seemed to love Kara’s boobs, and that gave Kara a wonderful boost of confidence. 

“Oh, that’s right. I’m pretty sure I tell you that every day,” Lena said, smiling against Kara’s chest. “You know, for the Girl of Steel, you’re very soft.”

“One of my many gifts,” Kara said. She continued carding her fingers through Lena’s hair. “You’re so beautiful.”

Lena scoffed. “I look like shit.”

“You look amazing,” Kara said. “I know you don’t feel well, but you look so relaxed. Like you’re in your happy place. And that just makes all of your natural beauty even more pronounced.”

“I’m with you,” Lena said simply. “Kara Danvers, you ARE my happy place.”

“And you, Lena Luthor, are MY happy place,” Kara replied, kissing Lena on the head. Getting to love Lena was, without a doubt, the best part of Kara’s life. Even when she was mad, or stressed, or hormonal and in pain, getting to be with the beautiful, wonderful, special Lena Luthor made every day worth living.


	23. Beautiful, Part 3: Motherhood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena is self-conscious about her postpartum body, but Kara shows her how beautiful she really is- and why Kara thinks so. More tooth-rotting fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halloween is coming up, so next chapter will be about Allie's first Halloween. If anyone has cute ideas for Supercorp family costume, let me know! I'm planning on making Halloween a favorite holiday for Kara because... CANDY.

Kara slowly rocked back and forth, the warm weight of the sleeping baby in her arms still such a new and exciting sensation, even after a week. Lena had fed her, and although she had been a little fussy, Kara had burped her and rocked her to sleep in the rocker in her and Lena’s bedroom, softly singing the same Kryptonian lullaby that her own mother had sung to her when she was small. 

Allie, warm and milk-drunk, had drifted off quickly. Kara couldn’t stop looking at her. She looked more like Kara when she was awake- they were almost positive her eyes were going to turn the same bright blue as Kara’s, and her mouth was exactly Kara’s in miniature- but when she was asleep, she looked like Lena. She had Lena’s dark hair, her cute nose, her chin jutted out the same way that Lena’s did, and her tiny, soft eyebrows looked just like Lena’s when she didn’t style them. But mostly it was the way that she totally and completely relaxed. The only time Lena ever really and truly relaxed was when she was alone with Kara (and often she was still so stressed she wasn’t able to completely relax) and when she was asleep. Alura Luthor-Danvers, only a week old, had no cares in the world. She was safe, and warm, and so, so, so very loved. She had never known hunger or fear, and had only known the soft touches of those who loved her. Kara gently stroked Allie’s tiny hand as she slept. Eliza had showed them how to cut her fingernails the night before, but Kara was too afraid to do it, too scared that she would somehow clip the baby’s skin instead of her nails. She smiled as Allie made the sweet little sleep noises that only babies make- a few little squeaks, some sighs, a tiny little yawn that made her whole face crinkle. Kara was totally and completely in love.

Lena had gone into their bathroom to take a shower. It was one of the first showers she’d had since Allie was born. Kara heard the water shut off, but a few moments later, was confused when she heard Lena say “Oh, fuck.”

Careful not to wake the baby, she gently got up from the rocking chair and laid her on her back in the co-sleeping bassinet that was an arm’s reach from Lena’s side of the bed (it had made the late-night feedings so much easier). They usually swaddled Allie when she slept, but she would be okay for a few minutes. 

Kara walked into the en-suite bathroom. She saw Lena at the mirror, staring at her reflection, tears streaming down her face. Lena had been dealing with the baby blues for the past few days, and was more easily prone to tears and mood swings, in addition to being sleep-deprived and in pain from delivery and breastfeeding. Kara tried to help when she could- she woke up every time Allie needed to eat during the night, changed most of her diapers, bathed her, held her when she couldn’t be comforted without being held, soothed her to sleep, and tried to tend to her during the day with Eliza so that Lena could get some much-needed rest. 

Kara walked over to Lena and gingerly touched her shoulder. “Baby? Are you okay?”

“Look at me!” Lena said, gesturing down her naked body. “I look like an ogre. I have dark circles under my eyes and I look like I’ve aged 10 years. My stomach still looks pregnant, my boobs are two different sizes, and I’ve still got that damn line down my stomach.” She sniffed. “I got so tired of looking like a beached whale when I was pregnant, and I don’t look any different now. I bet you’re not even attracted to me anymore.”

Kara gently reached out to grab Lena’s hands. “You’re so beautiful,” she said simply.

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” Lena scoffed. 

“No I’m not,” Kara replied firmly. “I mean it now more than ever. I mean, just LOOK at you.” She inched closer, and placed a kiss on Lena’s cheek. “Your skin is flawless and glowing. It looks so healthy.” She kissed Lena’s lips. “And your lips are so beautiful, because every night I hear you singing to Allie, and talking to her, and reading to her, and it’s the most wonderful thing I’ve ever heard. There’s so much love in your voice when you do it, and it makes me love you even more, knowing how much you love our baby.”

Kara knelt a bit, and carefully placed a series of kisses on Lena’s breasts, because she knew how sensitive they were. She kissed the side, then the nipple, then the other side, before moving to the next breast. 

She looked up at Lena and smiled. “I love your boobs. I’ve always loved your boobs; I’m such a boob girl.” She got a slight laugh out of Lena at that. “But I love them even more now. You make food for our baby and feed her with those. You’re making milk that is especially made just for her. It has all the antibodies and vitamins and other healthy stuff to protect her from getting sick, and to help her grow, and to give her comfort when she’s sad or scared. You’re the only one who can do that. I mean, my nipples are practically useless.” Lena laughed again. “And it’s a hard, hard, full time job. I know that, and I see how hard you work to make sure she’s getting enough to eat, and that you’re producing enough milk. Even when I’ll be able to give her a bottle in a few weeks, you’re still the one making the milk and pumping it. And having your boobs be different sizes means that you fed her with one of them, and that she’s gotten all of that good stuff to help her grow.”

She knelt further down, to Lena’s stomach. She kissed the dark line that ran down the middle of it, and the slight stretch marks she’d gotten from pregnancy, and the soft skin of her belly, still squishy and loose from having carried an almost 8-pound baby for over 9 months. 

“I love your stomach,” she said. “I’ve always loved your stomach.” And she had. Kara had always loved burrowing in it, kissing it, smelling the pure scent that lurked there that could only be described as “Lena.” “But I love it even more now,” she said, placing another kiss against it. “You grew our baby in here, Lena. This is where she was made- that cute little nose, and tiny fingernails, and soft hair, and the really loud cry, and that pout that we’re definitely not going to be able to resist.” Lena laughed. “The wonderful, amazing person that our daughter is going to grow into was made right here. She is the best gift I have ever been given. She’s half of my heart, and you’re the other half. But mostly, I love this body because YOU live in it, and I love you.”

She stood up and held both of Lena’s hands. Lena moved close to Kara, and Kara pressed their foreheads together. “I love how fierce you are, and how kickass you are, and how independent you are. You’re smarter than me by a mile, but you never brag about it. You’re so loving, and so giving, and can actually be silly from time to time. And seeing you love Allie so big and wide, and how you’re already so protective of her, has just been so amazing to see. And you’ve loved me through just about everything I’ve thrown at you, and I know that hasn’t been easy, ‘cause I have a pretty crazy life.” Lena laughed. “Lena Luthor, I will ALWAYS, always be attracted to you. You could grow tentacles and a horn and I would still be attracted to you. I’m attracted to you physically, but it’s so much more than that. I love YOU, all of you. And nothing will ever, change that.”

“Thank you,” Lena whispered. “I needed that.”

“I know,” Kara said. “Now, let’s get you into something warm and cozy.”

They made their way to the bedroom, where Lena changed into the same worn sweatpants she’d had for years and a nursing tank top that made it easy for her to feed the baby at night. She walked over to the bassinet and smiled down at her daughter, who was sleeping peacefully in her bassinet. 

“Think she’ll be okay if I hold her a while?” Lena whispered.

“Yeah,” Kara answered. 

The new little family climbed into bed. Lena cradled her daughter in her arms and lightly ran her finger through the dark hair on her head, over her eyebrows, down her little nose, across her tiny, pouty lips. 

“She’s made everything worth it,” Lena said quietly. “It’s been hard, really fucking hard, but I’d do it all again for her.” She placed a soft kiss on Allie’s forehead, and she and Kara both giggled with the baby gave off a tiny squeak at the contact.

“My whole life is here in this bed,” Kara said. “My wife and my daughter. My girls. My two wonderful, amazing, beautiful girls.” As she looked over at Lena holding their daughter, looking at her with a face full of awe, she was sure that Lena was, without a doubt, the most perfect and beautiful woman in the world.


	24. Tattoos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara discovers that Lena has tattoos, and gets the meaning behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that I promised a Halloween chapter, but life got busy this week! I hope you enjoy this little fluffy chapter.

Kara ghosted her fingertips lightly across Lena’s bare back. It was only their third time having sex, and they both were still discovering all of the new, exciting, intimate details of the other’s body. There were so many small things that they were just learning that they loved about each other- that Kara’s belly button was the exact size of Lena’s index fingertip, which made it easy and comfortable for her to dip her finger into when they were spooning; that the skin on the inside of Lena’s thighs was the softest thing that Kara had ever felt in her life; that Kara, despite being naturally strong, was also incredibly soft and supple, and that her stomach and breasts made a wonderful pillow; that Lena had ridiculously ticklish feet (which Kara discovered when she was almost kicked in the face when she went to suck on Lena’s big toe); that Lena had a small scar on her abdomen from an appendix removal when she was 7.

Kara’s finger moved from Lena’s back to the side of her ribs, feeling the slight indentations of them. She stopped when she reached something that had been one of the most surprising and intriguing things about Lena- she had several tattoos, all in places easily covered up by clothing. There was one on her ribs, another on her hip, and, shockingly, one at the small of her back. Kara had never seen any of them before they’d been naked together.

The tattoo along her ribs was in elegant but clear script. Kara trailed her finger along the words as she read it aloud: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." 

“It’s from Tolstoy,” Lena said. “Anna Karenina.”

“I’ve read it, a long time ago,” Kara said. “When I was in college, for an English class.”

“That line spoke to me more than any other in any book ever has,” Lena said. “When I was at boarding school, all of us came from unhappy families. Julie’s parents were going through a nasty and very public divorce, Amanda’s father was in prison for embezzling $5 million dollars, Tiffany’s mother was a raging alcoholic. And then you know my family. All of us deeply unhappy, all of us unhappy in different ways.”

Kara kissed Lena’s shoulder. “You don’t have to be unhappy anymore. I’m here.”

“I know,” Lena said, bringing Kara’s hand to her mouth and kissing it. “You make me happier than I’ve ever been, Kara.”

“You make me happier than I’ve ever been, too,” Kara said, kissing Lena’s shoulder again. 

She moved her fingers to the tattoo at Lena’s hip. It was a simple one; just a plain circle. “What does this one mean?”

“The lone circle,” Lena said. “It’s because I’ve always been by myself, alone, and I’ve made it pretty well.”

The meanings behind Lena’s tattoos broke Kara’s heart. Lena saw herself as an unhappy loner. “You’re not alone anymore,” Kara said. “You have me, and Alex, and Jess, and Winn, and James, and J’onn. And even Brainy.”

“I know,” Lena said. “I got that tattoo at a very different time in my life.”

Kara then moved to the tattoo at the small of Lena’s back. It was rather large, and in scrawling script read “Light.”

“And what’s this one mean?” Kara asked.

“In Greek, Elena means ‘light’,” Lena said. “Lena is a shortened version of Elena. I liked it because no matter how dark my life gets- and it’s been pretty damn dark at times- I’ve always got some light in myself.” Lena played with Kara’s fingers lazily, tracing up and down. “What do you think of them?”

“I love them,” Kara said honestly. She truly did love them; they were so LENA, every one. “I wish I could get a tattoo,” she said. “But needles don’t work on my skin, and even if they did, there’s the whole Supergirl thing. Supergirl can’t have the same tattoos as Kara Danvers.”

“She could if she put them in places where they wouldn’t be seen from the Supergirl costume. Think about it- it covers so much of your body. Maybe putting a tattoo on a shoulder, or a foot? Or even on your wrist or one of your forearms. As for the needle- I’m sure I could find something that would work. Maybe work with Alex to adapt some of the Kryptonite needles at the DEO?”

“Hmmmmm....” Kara said thoughtfully. “That might work. I don’t even know what I’d get, though. I want it to be special.”

“You don’t have to get anything now. Just know that if you ever want something, we could figure out a way to make it work.”

Kara smiled against Lena’s shoulder. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Lena felt Kara’s tongue dart out against her shoulder as she playfully bit at it. “You taste good,” Kara muttered. “I could eat you up.”

“There’s something else I definitely wouldn’t mind you eating,” Lena said seductively. “Are you up for round 2?”

Kara flipped them so that she was on top of Lena and was already moving down Lena’s body. “That, my dear, is never a question. I’m always up for any round with you.” Lena’s giggles at her girlfriend quickly turned to pants and moans as Kara got to work.

***

Three years later

“Just a small one today, Ed,” Lena told the tattoo artist with a smile.

“Same for the both of you?” He asked.

Yep,” Kara said with a smile.

Kara had met Ed a few years before at the alien bar she frequented. He had been a regular there for years, openly tattooed aliens and humans alike, and was the perfect person to approach about tattooing a Kryptonian with a strange Kryptonite needle. He’d done Kara’s 3 previous tattoos, as well as Lena’s last one.

Kara had decided on three small tattoos. The first was “El Mayarah,” Stronger Together, Kara’s family motto. She had written it in Kryptonian script, and Ed had tattooed it just below her ribs. Lena and Alex had worked together to develop a Kryptonite tattoo needle that could pierce Kara’s skin without causing her any trouble. The tattoo was a bit painful, but Kara was thrilled with the end result. 

She got her second tattoo the week after Lena proposed. Kara knew that she could never wear her engagement ring (and, later, her wedding ring) as Supergirl- it was far too dangerous, not only that people would make the connection between Kara Danvers and Supergirl, but that her many enemies might know that she had someone she loved dearly, someone who they might go after. So she got a small “L” tattooed on her left wrist, in a place where it would always be hidden by the sleeve of her Supergirl costume, so that she would always, always know that no matter what identity she was inhabiting, Lena was hers, and she was Lena’s.

She got her third tattoo with Lena, right after they were married. Lena got an identical circle to the one on her hip, right next to the original, while Kara got two circles together at her hip. The tattoos symbolized that the lone circle wasn’t alone anymore- they were joined together as equal partners. 

“So you both want a small circle inside the left, larger circle?” Ed asked, making sure so that he could get the tattoo correct.

“Yes,” Kara said. “For our daughter.”

Ed smiled. “I didn’t know you two had a kid! When was that?”

“She’s 10 months old,” Lena said with a smile. 

Kara pulled out a phone to show him a picture of Allie. Jess had taken it when the Luthor-Danvers family had gone to meet Alex, Jess, and Hannah at the park. Lena and Kara were on a blanket on the grass with Allie. Lena was holding Allie’s hips so that she could stand up, Kara was speaking to her (probably saying “You’re such a big girl!”) and Allie was looking at the camera with a look of pure delight and pride.

“What a cutie!” Ed said. “What’s her name?”

“Alura,” Lena said. “After Kara’s mother. We call her Allie.”

Kara swiped to another picture of Allie lying on the floor next to Streaky, hugging him tightly. Ed smiled at that picture, too. 

“I think it’s a great addition,” he said. 

Kara looked over at Lena and poked her hip. “Remember when you said that you got the lone circle because you’d always been by yourself?”

“I don’t ever have to be alone anymore,” Lena said with a smile. “With you and Allie, I have a family now. Always and forever. And I don’t need any kind of tattoo to remember that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the "Light" tattoo on Lena's back was inspired by Katie McGrath's IRL "Purity" tattoo.


	25. I Can Feel Your Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara has trouble whenever Allie has to get shots- what will she do when she has to take her by herself?

Even before Lena gave birth, they both knew that Kara would be the sensitive one between the two of them. The one who would cry when Allie wore her first “big girl” dress; when Allie colored a picture for her for the first time; when Allie had a corsage placed on her wrist at prom; when she saw Allie in her wedding dress and walked her down the aisle. It wasn’t that Lena didn’t care- she did, deeply. But Lena was more practical than Kara. She let herself feel her feelings, but could also put them aside and get to work if needed. She kept Kara grounded, but also loved that her wife felt so much. 

Kara also knew that she would be the one who would have the most trouble when Allie got hurt. Allie was, for all intents and purposes, a human, not The Baby of Steel (no matter how many times Winn called her that). She could get sick, and get hurt, and, heartbreakingly for Kara (and Lena- but Kara felt it the most), feel pain. 

Allie’s first painful experience came when she got her first round of vaccinations as a newborn. Allie squealed in pain and curled her feet up to her stomach (a sure sign that she was extremely upset), and her whole body, from the top of her head to the tips of her tiny toes, turned a shade of bright red. Kara cried alongside Allie, whispering “I’m so sorry sweetie, Mama’s sorry. I’m so sorry we did this to you.” She was so upset that she couldn’t even comfort her daughter. Lena finally undid her shirt and let the baby suckle for comfort, which calmed Allie down greatly, and she turned to Kara and pointedly asked her if she needed to go on walk around the office to calm down. Kara was hardly able to pull herself together. 

The next few rounds of vaccinations went in a similar pattern: Allie screamed, Kara cried, Lena comfort nursed the baby to calm her down before calming down her wife. But the 6 month vaccinations were going to be different. Lena had an L Corp board meeting, so Kara was going to have to take Allie to get her shots alone.

“You’ll be fine,” Lena said as she finished her coffee. Allie was sitting in a baby seat on the table gnawing on her Sophie the giraffe toy, and Kara was bubbling on a single piece of toast. Lena knew Kara was worried because she usually ate 3 pieces of toast at once.

“I don’t think I will, though,” Kara said. “Its just... it’s too hard for me. I could see if Alex can take the morning off and take her.” 

“Alex isn’t her mother, Kara,” Lena said firmly. “YOU are. When she’s isn’t feeling well or is scared or in pain, she’s going to be looking for YOU. You make her feel safe and give her comfort.” 

“But I can’t even hold it together when you’re there,” Kara said. “How will I do it alone?”

“Because you’ll realize that her pain and fear are greater than yours,” Lena replied bluntly. “You’ll remember that she needs comfort from you more than you’re upset that she’s in pain.” Lena got up to kneel in front of her wife. She grasped both of her hands. “You are the strongest, bravest person I know. Look at the creatures you fight on a weekly basis! I know you love Allie more than anything in the world and don’t want her to be in pain. But she’s getting these shots to prevent her from getting much more terrible diseases. She needs these. And you will love her and kiss her and cuddle her until she feels better. I know you can do it, Kara.” She stood up and placed a kiss on her wife’s lips. “I love you, and I love Allie. You two will be fine.” 

“I love you, too,” Kara said, still unsure that she’d be able to handle it.

At the doctor’s office, they let her hold Allie in her lap as they gave her the shots. Kara had a soft but firm grip on her diaper-clad daughter, and she started singing in her ear as the shots went in to her thigh. Of course, Allie’s reaction was immediate. She started screaming and trying to wriggle away. Kara felt a bubble of panic rising in her throat, but she focused on comforting her baby. She continued singing to her, and kept a firm grip on the squirming baby. When the shots were over, she immediately turned Allie so that she could bury her head in the crook of Kara’s neck. Kara unbuttoned the top few buttons so that Allie could be in direct contact with her skin; she couldn’t comfort nurse her, but this was the next best thing.

Mother and daughter moved into a chair. Allie continued to cry for a few minutes, before latching onto a spot of skin just below Kara’s neck and suckling for a bit to self-comfort. Kara rubbed her back and hummed softly, hoping that the rhythmic purr Allie could feel would calm her further. After several more minutes of comforting, Allie was actually able to fall asleep. 

Kara was able to put Allie’s onesie back on her and transfer her to her stroller without waking her up. As she buckled her into her car seat, Kara realized she hadn’t cried at all. She was so busy trying to comfort her baby that she didn’t have time to think about how sad she was. She smiled. “Damn, Lena. You’re always right.”

Poor Allie was tired and fussy the rest of the day after her shots. She didn’t want to play for long, and really just wanted to be held and cuddled. Kara lay on the couch with her and she fell asleep on top of Kara. Kara had taken off her onesie so that she could be as comfortable as possible in just a diaper, and Kara was wearing only a sports bra and sweatpants in the hope that skin to skin might calm her even further. Kara, also emotionally drained from the day, fell asleep too.

She woke up two and a half hours later and saw that she had a blanket draped over her and that Lena had joined her on the couch. Lena was feeding Allie, patting her on the back softly as she nursed. Allie was touching Lena’s face softly. Lena turned her face to kiss the baby’s hand before smiling at Kara. 

“How long have been home?” Kara groggily asked. 

“About an hour,” Lena answered. “I tried to let you sleep, but Little Miss woke up about 10 minutes after I got in and clawed at my chest immediately.”

“Has she been eating for an hour?” Kara asked.

“On and off,” Lena said. “I think she just needed a little extra comfort today.” She patted Allie’s bottom and said “All done,” before popping her off her breast. Allie gave a grumble of protest, but after Lena quickly burped her she was content to sit on Lena’s lap and lay her head against Lena’s chest and grab lazily at the neck of her tank top. 

“How was it?” Lena asked.

“Okay,” Kara said. “You were right- I was way more focused on her than I was on my own fear.”

Lena smiled. “Nothing like motherhood to make you less selfish.”

Kara smiled. “That’s the truth.” She sighed. “I know there’s gonna be harder things in the future. She might need stitches, or might break an arm. And it’ll be so hard for me. But she’ll need me more than ever. And I’ll be ok.” 

“You will,” Lena said. “You can’t feel your own pain, but you feel hers. And mine. And others’, like Alex or Eliza or Winn. And that can be worse than feeling pain yourself. You are a wonderful person Kara Danvers, and Allie and I are the luckiest girls in the world to have you.”


	26. First Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Allie's first birthday! Featuring lots of snuggles, domestic fluff, and of course, a birthday party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think the next chapter is going to be a Kara-Lena throwback chapter. As a little spoiler, in coming chapters, they'll be having some very important conversations about the future of their family that's hinted about a bit in this chapter. ;)

Kara couldn’t think of a much better way to wake up than with her wife in her arms. Their legs were tangled together beneath the sheets, and Kara’s hand rested on Lena’s belly where her shirt had ridden up slightly during the night. She gently stroked her hand across Lena’s bare stomach, before moving aside her hair and placing small, warm kisses against the back of her neck. She felt Lena stir under her. 

“Morning, love,” Kara murmured, placing a kiss behind Lena’s ear. 

“Morning,” Lena said, yawning slightly. She turned in Kara’s arms so that they were face-to-face, and placed a soft kiss on Kara’s lips before burying her head in Kara’s neck. 

“Do you remember what today is?” Kara whispered. 

“How could I forget?” Lena said, smiling against Kara’s neck. “Someone special has a birthday today.”

“A year. How have we been parents for a year?” Kara asked, her voice full of wonderment. “It seems like Allie was just born yesterday.”

Lena tipped her head up to kiss Kara again. “Some days it seems like yesterday, some days it seems like 10 years ago.”

Kara looked at the video monitor on her bedside table. “The Birthday Girl’s still fast asleep. Want me to bring her in here for some snuggles, or should I let her sleep a little longer?”

“Snuggles,” Lena said. “The answer is always snuggles.” 

Kara placed another kiss on Lena’s lips. “I’ll be right back.”

She quietly walked down the hallway into Allie’s nursery. The room was dark, except for a small nightlight in the corner, and a white noise machine was quietly running beside the crib. 

Kara quietly crept over to the crib to stare down lovingly at her daughter. Allie looked so much like Lena when she slept- her little right arm was stretched over her head, and she looked totally and completely at peace. Kara reached down to rub her stomach for a few moments. Allie’s eyes fluttered slightly as she woke up at Kara’s touch, and she blinked up at Kara.

“Hi baby girl,” Kara whispered. “It’s ok, it’s just Mama.”

Allie, still half-asleep, reached up her arms for her mother. Kara picked her up and held her close, and Allie nuzzled against her neck. Kara pressed a kiss to Allie’s head, and smelled in her scent- baby shampoo, baby powder, and the lavender lotion that Lena put on her at night to calm her and help her sleep. There was no better smell in the world to Kara than the smell of her baby. 

She moved Allie over to the changing table and quickly put a clean diaper on her, humming softly as she cleaned the baby, before snapping back up her sleeper. It was one of Kara’s favorites- a pink polka-dotted sleeper with a cute dinosaur appliqué on the front (Kara and Lena both LOVED shopping for baby girl clothes, and Allie never had a shortage of cute outfits and pajamas). 

Kara then picked Allie up and carried her back into her room so they could snuggle with Lena. They climbed in bed, and Lena moved over to place a kiss on Allie’s head. 

“Good morning, Birthday Girl,” she whispered. 

Allie began pawing at Lena’s chest, so Lena turned over on her side and helped Allie latch on. She nursed the baby as she lay on the bed beside her and stroked her hair gently as she sucked. Allie sweetly reached up to touch Lena’s face, and Lena turned her head slightly to kiss the little hand that rested on her face.

“She doesn’t seem ready to give this up any time soon,” Kara said, watching her wife and daughter with a smile on her face.

“No, she’s still a milk monster,” Lena said with a smile, still brushing Allie’s dark curls. “We won’t be doing it for too much longer, but… I’m okay to keep going for a few more months.” 

Lena was proud that they were still going strong after a year. She had been nervous that she wouldn’t produce enough milk, or that the baby wouldn’t take to it, or that she would hate doing it, but Allie had taken to it immediately. She was eating 3 meals a day of solid food, but she was still nursing a few times a day: first thing in the morning, at naptime when Lena was home, when she fell asleep at night, and any time she needed comfort or reassurance. Lena thought she would be more than ready to be finished with breastfeeding (and at times, she was), but she was perfectly content to keep up these sweet and quiet moments with her daughter for just a little while longer. 

After a few minutes, she gently switched Allie to eat on the other side. “This has been one of the best years of my life,” she whispered. “Definitely the hardest year. But absolutely the best.”

“It’s been the best year of my life too,” Kara said. “I didn’t know I could have so much love for someone immediately. And I’ve loved watching you be a mom,” she said, reaching out to gently touch Lena’s nose. “You’re the best mom ever.”

“YOU’RE the best mom ever,” Lena said with a smile, bringing Kara’s finger to her mouth and giving it a kiss. “She loves you so much. You’re pretty much her favorite person.”

“I don’t know, I think YOU’RE her favorite.”

Lena laughed. “Why don’t we call it even and say we’re both her favorite?”

“Deal,” Kara said with a smile. She reached out to rub Allie’s back gently as she nursed.

When Allie was finished nursing, Lena re-adjusted the nursing tank top that she always wore to bed. 

“Think we can get a little more sleep?” she asked. “We’ve got a big day ahead.”

“I think so,” Kara yawned. 

Allie crawled on top of Kara’s chest and lay down the length of her chest and stomach. Allie was a snuggle bug who loved sleeping on top of her moms when she was in bed with them. Nuzzling her face into Kara’s chest, she let out a sleepy sigh. Within a few minutes, Kara felt her breathing and heart rate slow, and knew that she was fast asleep. 

Lena and Kara both dozed off as well, and the little family was able to sleep for another 2 hours. 

Lena was the first to wake up. She smiled at the sight in front of her. Allie’s cheeks were adorably smooshed against Kara’s chest, and she was clutching the front of Kara’s tank top. 

Lena leaned forward and placed a soft kiss first on Kara’s lips, then Allie’s. She smoothed Allie’s hair back as she slowly woke. 

“Ok, sleeping beauties, it’s time to start our day,” she whispered. “We’ve got a birthday to celebrate!”

Kara and Allie let out identical groans of protest at being woken up, but Kara got excited again at the mention of the birthday. She sat up, holding her still-sleepy daughter on her lap.

“It’s your birthday, Allie!” she said in an excited whisper, placing a kiss on Allie’s head and smoothing her dark curls. “That means it’s a day all about celebrating how much we love you!” She tickled Allie’s belly, eliciting a laugh from her. “Nana, and Aunt Alex and Aunt Jess, and Hannah, and Aunt Sam, and Uncle Winn, and Uncle James, and Grandpa J’onn, and even Cat Grant are ALL coming to your party,” she said. “You’re gonna get to eat cake, and open presents, and play with Hannah and all your aunts and uncles. It’ll be the best birthday party ever.”

Allie looked up at Kara with a wide, gleeful smile on her face. 

“Are you excited?” Kara asked in a silly voice. “’Cause I’m excited, and Mommy’s excited!”

Allie smiled so wide her eyes crinkled. 

Kara bent down to place a smacking kiss on her cheek. “Let’s go get ready for your party.”

**

Allie’s 1st birthday party was going to be a small get-together with just their closest family and friends, since Lena and Kara reasoned that it would be far more memorable for them than for her, and that bigger, more exciting birthdays could wait until she was older. Lena had let Kara pick out all the decorations, activities, and party food for the adults in exchange for letting HER pick out a healthier alternative for Allie’s smash cake. Kara only pouted a bit, but relented when Lena climbed into her lap and started doing THAT THING with her tongue on the shell of Kara’s ear that she knew would melt Kara into a puddle of goo (Lena wasn’t above using good old-fashioned bribery to get her way at times).

They were holding the party in their living room. It didn’t look much different than it normally did, except for a small table in the corner with pictures from all of the stages of Allie’s life: their first sonogram, where she wasn’t much bigger than a bean; a picture from Lena’s maternity shoot, where she gently cradled her swollen stomach as Kara placed a kiss on it; a picture taken right after Allie was born, eyes scrunched shut and crying but holding tightly onto Kara’s finger; a picture from Allie’s newborn shoot, lying on a pink blanket with “Alura Alexandra” written on it in white script; a picture of Allie in her baby bathtub in the sink at Eliza’s home in Midvale, smiling widely at the camera with her hair in a soapy Mohawk; a photo of six-month-old Allie and Lena in their beach villa’s pool on their first family vacation to the Cayman Islands, Lena holding Allie tightly as she “swam” and pointing cheekily at Allie’s naked baby bum; a family portrait of the three of them, taken the week before, with Kara holding a laughing Allie and both mothers kissing the baby on the cheek. Kara had also bought pink “1” balloons to put by Allie’s high chair when she smashed into her cake, as well as hung pink streamers all over the apartment (a perk of being able to fly was the ability to reach tall, tight spaces). 

There was also a new portrait of Allie hanging on the wall. She was wearing one of her first “big girl dresses,” as Kara called it. It was a sweet navy blue dress with a Peter Pan collar. She was smiling widely, an exact miniature of Kara’s smile, her blue eyes shining brightly. Allie was finally getting a little more hair on her head, so Lena finished off the ensemble with a little navy bow, which she managed to keep in during the whole session. Usually, Allie didn’t like anything in her hair (Kara didn’t blame her) and usually pulled off any bows or headbands within seconds. 

 

Allie was going to be dressed much more casually for the party: a gray-and-white striped onesie with floral leggings on top, and an adorable hooded jacket with little bear ears on the hood. Allie had just taken her first steps the week before- she took two three shaky steps from Lena to Kara, who immediately scooped her up, gave her a kiss, and whooped in joy- but was still much more comfortable crawling everywhere. Lena, who had worn nothing but frilly dresses as a child, shopped with the motto of “It’s important for little girls to be comfortable first of all.” 

The party started at 1:00. Alex, Jess, Hannah, and Eliza were there, of course, as was J’onn (who Allie had started calling “Pa,” short for Grandpa, which brought a tear to his eye the first time she did it). Also invited were Winn and his girlfriend Kate, James, Brainy (who had chosen to stay in the 21st Century, and was never quite sure what exactly to make of Allie, but she loved him anyway), Nia, Sam (who flew in from Metropolis specifically for her goddaughter’s party), and, most surprisingly of all, Cat Grant. 

Kara was shocked that Cat actually accepted the invitation, and was even more shocked that she was sitting on the floor with Allie, Hannah, and Winn, helping them to build a tower of blocks. Cat and Hannah would build the tower, and Allie would stand up on shaky baby legs and crash into the tower of blocks, sending them cascading to the ground. It made her giggle maniacally. 

“You sure we don’t have a future supervillian on our hands?” Winn asked, wrinkling his brow as he listened to Allie laugh.

Kara sat down a plate of cupcakes on the coffee table. “Maybe. She’s got the laugh going for her.”

“She’s not going to be a Supervillain, Winn,” Kate said, giving Winn a push on the shoulder from where she was sitting on the couch. “How could someone that cute be a supervillain?”

Winn and Kate had been dating for six months, but it was already the most serious relationship he’d ever been in. Everyone in the Super Friends loved her; she was sweet, and funny, and made Winn happier than anyone had seen him in years. She adored Allie, and Allie loved her, too (after all, she was the one who had gotten them together!). A month before the party, Kara and Lena had invited Kate and Winn over to their place for dinner and shared with her that Kara was Supergirl, and neither had any doubts about her keeping the secret and being a trusted friend they could count on whenever they needed. 

Allie toddled over to Winn and put both of her chubby hands on his cheeks. 

“Apologize to her,” Kate gently chided.

“Sorry I said you were a future supervillain, Allie Cat,” Winn said. He leaned forward and blew a raspberry on her cheek, making Allie squeal with laughter. 

He then grabbed her and started “flying” her around the room, zooming her from person to person to get a kiss or a hug. Even Brainy gave her a quick peck on the cheek. 

“Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superbaby!” Winn narrated as he weaved Allie around the couches, tables, and other people in the room. Allie laughed heartily as she “flew.”

Suddenly, his flight was interrupted by a rather loud gurgling sound. Allie gave off a sigh of relief, and Winn immediately wrinkled his nose. 

“Oh, gross, I think she just pooped!” He turned his head away from the still-smiling baby and sighed. “Awwww man, Allie, you ruined it! Superbaby can’t poop on the job!”

Everyone started laughing, save for Cat Grant, who looked thoroughly disgusted. 

Alex turned to Kara, who was bringing over more food. “Whaddaya say, Supergirl? Ever shit yourself mid-flight?”

Kara laughed. “No, but there were a few close calls. Chipotle can even mess up my stomach of steel from time to time.”

“Uh, guys?” Winn said. “Still holding a stinky baby.”

“Go change her then,” Kara said.

“I don’t want to change her!” Winn argued. “She’s covered in poop!”

Kara raised her eyebrows. “And that’s the whole point of changing her, isn’t it.”

“Why don’t you change her? She’s your kid!”

“I’m dealing with food, I’m not changing her.”

Sam, who was sitting on the couch next to Alex, rolled her eyes. “You’re ridiculous, Winn.” She got off the couch and held her arms out. “Hand her over, I’ll change her.” She grabbed Allie and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Auntie Sam will get you all nice and clean since Uncle Winn is afraid of a little poop.”

“I’m NOT afraid of poop,” Winn said emphatically. 

“Sure, sure,” Kara replied wryly. 

Sam came back with Allie a few minutes later. “I’m not as rusty on this whole diaper changing thing as I thought I would be! I mean, it’s been 18 years,” she said with a smile. “It’s like muscle memory. It comes right back to you.”

She put Allie back on the floor, where she immediately began rolling around with Hannah, both of them giggling happily. 

It was clear that the two of them were already becoming best friends, and Kara and Lena hoped that they would be more like sisters than cousins. Alex and Jess had shared with them recently that they had decided that they wouldn’t be having more children (Jess had a difficult pregnancy, and both found that they actually liked having an only child), so they were glad that the two cousins could grow up being close. Kara and Lena hadn’t yet discussed having another child- when Lena was in the throes of pregnancy, she made Kara SWEAR that she would not bring it up until at least a year after the baby was born- but Kara wanted to approach the topic soon. She had loved having a sister in Alex, and had always dreamed of having at least two children, whether through birth or adoption. She wanted to give Allie a younger sibling, and had an idea that Lena wouldn’t be too difficult to convince. 

J’onn joined the two girls on the floor, and they immediately started crawling on top of him and tickling him. He had a tickle fight with Hannah in return. 

“You’re so funny, Grandpa!” she squealed. 

J’onn smiled. He loved those two little girls more than he ever thought he could love anyone (just as he had done with their mothers). He would do anything he could to protect them, defend them, and keep them safe. 

“Okay, everybody, time for cake!” Kara called. 

J’onn picked up both Hannah and Allie and carried them over to the high chair sitting in the center of the room. James made them pose for a picture (he’d been snapping pictures all day), and all three gave him large, genuine smiles (even J’onn, who typically hated having his picture taken). J’onn handed Allie over to Lena, who hooked her into her high chair. Allie, who loved being the center of attention, looked around at everyone who was staring at her and smiled happily. 

Kara brought over her smash cake with a single candle in it. It was a simple homemade apple cake with cream cheese frosting, which Lena didn’t think would be too overly sweet for Allie. The sweetest thing that Allie had ever had to eat was fruit and breast milk (and a bite of Kara’s cinnamon role, which she promptly spit out), so they figured that she would enjoy a less sweet cake a little more. Of course, babies just loved digging in the cake more than anything. Lena had bought a large chocolate cake for the rest of the guests.  
“Hannah, do you want to come over and help her blow out the candle?” Kara asked. 

“Yeah, yeah!” Hannah said excitedly. J’onn put her down and she ran over to stand next to the high chair. 

Everyone started singing “Happy Birthday” to Allie. She excitedly smiled the whole time, and when everyone clapped at the end, she started clapping along with everyone. Hannah blew out her candle for her, and helped her “dig in” to her cake. 

To Kara’s disappointment, Allie seemed to enjoy digging in the cake far more than she actually enjoyed eating it. She licked the cream cheese frosting from her fingers, and did eat the little bits of cake that Kara fed her, but her biggest smiles came from smashing the cake between her fingers, as well as seeing the smiling faces of the rest of the guests. 

The party lasted the rest of the afternoon. Allie got a host of small, simple toys, and Kara and Lena both got down on the floor with her to play with them. Allie was so excited to have all of her favorite people with her that she missed her nap, but missing her nap meant that she became over-tired by the end of the party. James had gotten her a swing for the balcony, and he held up the swing with her in it. She LOVED it. After a few minutes of swimming, James felt like his arm was about to fall off and had to put down the swing, and Allie threw a full-on tantrum: screaming, sobbing, and rolling around on the floor. Lena picked her up and took her to the nursery to calm her down. 

At the end of the party, Kara saw everyone out before joining Lena back in the nursery. She smiled when she saw her two girls together. Lena was holding Allie in her lap in the rocking chair, slowly rocking back and forth, and Allie was fast asleep against Lena’s chest. Lena smiled back at Kara. 

“How long did it take you to calm her down?” Kara asked. 

“Not too long,” Lena said. “I walked around patting her back for a while, then I nursed her for a few minutes, and then started rocking. She fell right asleep. It’s been a big day for a little girl.”

“It has,” Kara said. She leaned down to kiss Allie’s head. “I can’t believe you’ve been with us for a whole year.” She looked at Lena and rubbed her shoulder. “I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store.”


	27. Move in With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara flies to London to keep Lena company after a bad day while she's on a business trip, and Lena has a surprising proposition for her.

Lena sighed as she poured her second glass of whiskey of the night. It was a whiskey kind of night, because the day had been utter shit.

Lena was meeting with some of her European investors in London. These meetings always went the same way. The mostly-male investors constantly tried to speak over Lena or belittle her, and when not doing that, were blatantly staring at her breasts. It was exhausting, frustrating, and demeaning, and Lena hated every moment of it. 

She sat down on the hotel bed and picked up her phone. She pulled up her ongoing iMessage conversation with Kara. 

Lena: I wish you were here. Missing you like crazy. 

Kara: Everything okay? I miss you too. 

Lena: Men are shit and the world is shit. Other than that, I’m fine. Slightly drunk.

Kara: ☹ 

Kara: You know I can be there in about 5 minutes if you want someone to talk to. Or, you know, cuddle with. 

Lena frowned. Sometimes she forgot about Kara’s superpowers. It was nice to forget, because in those moments, they could be any other ordinary couple in the world. Not a Luthor and a Super, but just Kara and Lena. 

Lena: You’d be willing to do that?

Kara: In a heartbeat! It’s Friday, so I could stay all weekend if you wanted. Does your room have a balcony or will I need to check into the hotel? 

Lena smiled. 

Lena: My room ALWAYS has a balcony. 

Kara: Give me five minutes. 

True to her word, five minutes later, Lena heard a tapping on the hotel window. She got up to unlock it and let Kara in. 

Kara immediately swept Lena into her arms and gave her a swooning, Hollywood-style kiss. Lena wrapped her arms around Kara’s neck and let herself dissolve into the kiss. 

After a few minutes of kissing, Lena finally had to take a breath. She placed a gentle kiss against Kara’s lips, and then nestled her head against Kara’s chest, breathing in her scent deeply. She loved the way Kara smelled- cool and crisp, like the night sky. 

Kara pressed a kiss to Lena’s hair. “I’m sorry you’ve had a rough day.”

Lena smiled against Kara’s chest. “Nothing that Supergirl can’t fix.” She looked at Kara, who was wearing her Supergirl costume. “Did you bring any other clothes?”

Kara chuckled. “No, I left too quickly. I’ll just wear my underwear to bed. The supersuit actually isn’t too comfortable to sleep in.” 

Lena looked up at her. “I was thinking of taking a bath. Care to join me? You don’t need clothes for that.”

Kara smiled. “Lead the way.”

Lena undressed and Kara speeded out of her suit. Lena handed her a hair tie and Kara put her hair in a messy bun on the top of her head, and Lena did the same. Kara climbed into the warm water first, and Lena climbed in front of her, her back pressed flush to Kara’s front. Lena closed her eyes and sighed in relief and leaned back to rest her head against Kara’s shoulder and chest. 

Kara kissed her shoulder. “Want to add bubbles?” She placed her arms over Lena’s and clasped their hands together. 

“No,” Lena murmured. “Didn’t you know? Bubbles can give you a UTI.”

“Huh,” Kara said. “I didn’t know that. I mean, I’ve never had one, and I think it might be impossible for me to get one, but…”

“Shhhhhhhh,” Lena said. “Trust me, they’re no fun. Let’s just relax for a while.”

They stayed in the bath until the water became cool. Lena actually dozed off. It was so RELAXING- a warm bath, sitting skin-to-skin with her girlfriend, and Kara’s arms wrapped securely around her. For the first time in days, Lena felt completely safe and relaxed. 

When they climbed out and dried off with towels, Lena tried to initiate sex, but Kara but her index finger on Lena’s lips. 

“Not tonight, Casanova,” she said with a smile. “You’re exhausted and need sleep. Nothing but cuddles tonight.”

Lena pouted. 

“Sorry, Lena,” Kara said. “We can stay in bed and have sex all day tomorrow. But tonight- sleep.” 

“Can we at least sleep naked?” Lena asked. 

Kara laughed and pulled Lena to her to give her a kiss. “Yes, we can sleep naked.”

They both stripped off their robes. Kara climbed into bed and Lena climbed in right after her. 

“Thanks for coming all this way just for me,” she said. “I just… I really missed you. Hard days are better when you’re around.”

“I really missed you, too,” Kara said, placing rubbing her thumb gently across Lena’s stomach. 

Lena got quiet for a long time, and Kara thought she had fallen asleep. Suddenly, she spoke again.

“Move in with me when we get back to National City. For real, I mean, and not just keeping a few things there for when you stay over.”

“Move in with you?” Kara asked. 

“Only if you want to,” Lena said. 

Kara kissed Lena’s shoulder. “Of COURSE I want to! It’s just a little surprising that you asked.”

“Because I couldn’t bear the thought of going back to my apartment and you not being in it,” Lena said. “You’re like sunshine on the rainiest days. Today was utter, utter shit, but I feel so much better just being around you. And I love you so much that I want to be around you all the time. I don’t want to have YOUR apartment and MY apartment anymore. I want OUR apartment. OUR home.”

“I want that, too,” Kara said, kissing Lena’s shoulder again. “I’m glad I came to see you after all.”

Lena laughed. “I was going to ask you when we got back, but now felt like a good time.”

“I totally agree,” Kara said. She let out a brief laugh. “You know Alex is going to give us a hard time about it.”

“U-haul to the back of the Subaru only a few months after starting dating,” Lena said. “We are so stereotypical.”

“We are,” Kara said with a laugh. “I love you, Lena Luthor. Always, always remember that. I can’t wait to start this new adventure with you.”


	28. Thanksgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Thanksgivings in Lena's life- the first before her relationship with Kara, and the second after they've married and had a daughter.

Then

After her second glass of wine, Lena simply abandoned the glass in favor of drinking straight from the bottle. She had two bottles of wine at the ready, and she was fully prepared to drink both of them, no matter how shitty she felt in the morning. In all honesty, she would probably start drinking the second she woke up, anyway. Because all Lena wanted to do was not feel, and to forget that it was the holiday season, and that she had no one to spend it with.

The last part was a lie; Kara had invited her over to spend Thanksgiving at her foster mother’s house in Midvale. The previous year she’d spent a “Friendsgiving” at Kara’s apartment with Kara, Winn, Alex, J’onn, Brainy, and James (a nasty case of the flu had prevented Eliza from traveling down). But this year, James was spending Thanksgiving in Metropolis with his family because his sister had a baby and James wanted to be there for his first Thanksgiving; Winn had re-connected with his mother and was spending the holiday with her; Brainy was spending the day with Nia; and Kara and Alex had decided to go back to Midvale for once. They had a Friendsgiving together the weekend before Thanksgiving, and when Kara realized that Lena had nowhere to go, she demanded that Lena join her and Alex. 

“I can’t Kara,” Lena insisted when Kara invited her, right as she was leaving her apartment. “I don’t want to intrude.”

“You’re not intruding!” Kara said adamantly. “You’re basically a member of the family already. And it’ll just be me, Alex, Eliza, and J’onn. We all love you.”

“Holidays are complicated,” Lena said simply. 

That was the truth- holidays in the Luthor family were indeed very complicated. During Thanksgiving, Lena and Lex were relegated to eating a tasteless meal of boiled Brussels sprouts and Spaghetti-O’s in the nursery while Lionel and Lillian entertained their own guests with a delicious turkey dinner with all the trimmings in the large dining room (to this day, Lena couldn’t abide Spaghetti-O’s for that reason). At Christmas, she was given a few perfunctory gifts with no thought or value to them- porcelain dolls, frilly dresses, or a chess set. No one asked Lena what she had really wanted (a science kit and engineering kit)- she was only given what she was expected to have. And then Lionel died, Lex went mad, and Lillian went bad (well, more bad than normal). It was no wonder that Lena often preferred to spend the holidays alone.

“Lena, you’re not alone anymore,” Kara said softly. She reached out to grab Lena’s hand, and twined their fingers together. Lena tried to ignore the electric shock that traveled up her arm at Kara’s touch. She had been trying to ignore the feelings of longing and attraction that she’d been having for her friend for months, but it was getting harder and harder. 

Lena squeezed Kara’s hand before releasing it. “I AM alone Kara. I always have been, I always will be. It’s as simple as that. Holidays are bad days for me. I just… sometimes I just need to be alone.”

The look that Kara gave her was full of sadness, concern, and- dare she even think it- love. “I don’t know why you keep pushing away people who care about you, Lena,” she said sadly. “All of us know that it’s a hard day for you and we want you to be around people who love you. We want to help you.”

“I’m sorry, Kara,” Lena said. “I need to be by myself for Thanksgiving.”

And here Lena was, on Thanksgiving Day, alone and drunk. She was well into the second bottle, and knew that she would pass out before long. She would probably regret it in the morning, but tonight, she didn’t care. 

“Lena, what the hell are you doing? How much have you had to drink?”

Lena turned around to see none other than Kara Danvers standing in her living room, looking furious. Was it her living room? Was she at home? She couldn’t quite remember.

“What’re you doing here…. Kaaaaaaaaara,” Lena slurred. “You’re in my pants… my pants? No, not my pants. I wish you were in my pants, but you’re not. You’re in my place. You’re supposed to be far, far away.”

Even in her drunken state, it was obvious to Lena that Kara was NOT amused. The crinkle was evident between her brows, and Kara had actually CURSED at her (even thought it was just a tame “what the hell”). 

“Jess gave me a key to your apartment,” she said. “I was worried about you, so I took the train down after dinner.” Kara admitted years later that she had flown down from Midvale only seconds after receiving a rather alarming text from Lena. 

“You need…. You need….” Lena lurched. Kara caught her, and could tell that she was about to vomit. She grabbed a trash can from the kitchen and brought it over just in time for Lena to throw up into. Kara held her hair back and rubbed her back gently. 

Lena coughed and began to cry. “I don’t want you to see me like this,” she cried. “I’m a mess.” She leaned forward to vomit again. When she was done, all the anger was gone from Kara’s eyes. 

“Come on,” Kara whispered. “Let’s get you to the bathroom.”

For the whole night, Kara lay on the bathroom floor with Lena. Kara somehow managed to find one of Lena’s old MIT tshirts and sweatpants to change into. Whenever she needed to vomit, Kara guided her to the toilet and held her hair back. She let Lena cry against her shoulder and rail against the world and all the hurtful things life had thrown at her. She didn’t care that Lena smelled back, and that she was probably getting vomit all over her shirt. She held her, and comforted her, and was just THERE.

Lena woke up in her bed at noon the next morning, with very little memory of how she had gotten there. She felt like she had been run over by a truck. She turned to look beside her and was shocked to see a wave of blonde hair on the pillow next to her. Kara Danvers was sleeping beside her, glasses still perched on her nose. When Lena moved to take them off, Kara’s eyes flew open. Lena squealed and jumped back.

“Sorry, sorry,” Kara said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I think I need to throw up,” Lena responded. She turned to the trash can that Kara had left beside her bed and promptly vomited into it. “That’s better,” she said glumly. 

She turned back to Kara. “Why did you stay with me? I’m such a mess. God, I don’t even WANT to know what I said to you last night.”

“You’re not a mess, Lena,” Kara said firmly. “You’ve been through so much. I didn’t want you to spend the day alone, and then when I saw how much you’d had to drink, I couldn’t leave you. I needed to make sure you were ok.” 

“I’ll just drag you down with me,” Lena said. “You should be with your family, not… THIS.” She gestured down at her body. 

“You are my family,” Kara said. “I know you don’t believe it, but you are. I wish you could see how much I care about you. How much Alex, and Eliza, and even J’onn care about you. You’ve seen my family- none of us are related. We’re this weird little group that we cobbled together because we look after each other, and love each other, and always have each other’s back. You’re one of us, Lena. We want you to be.”

Lena ducked her head into her shoulder, embarrassed. She had spent so much of her life being unwanted that sometimes she forgot that people could care about her, and did want to love. 

Kara rubbed her shoulder. “I know you probably don’t feel great, but if you’re up to it, I thought we could get on the train and go to Midvale for second dinner tonight.”

“Second dinner?” Lena asked.

Kara smiled. “It’s where we eat all the Thanksgiving leftovers the next day. It’s the best.”

Lena smiled. “I feel pretty shitty, but I think I might be able to manage.”

“Good,” Kara said with a smile. “And remember- we’re your family, Lena. I’M your family. You just need to let me- US- in.”

Lena nodded. “It’s hard for me. You know that. But I’ll sure as hell try. Maybe next year I’ll be up for a full Thanksgiving in Midvale.”

Kara smiled. “You’re in luck- Christmas in Midvale is just a month away.”

Lena actually found herself smiling. “I can’t wait.”

**

Now

Lena walked into her apartment and relished at the sounds of talking and laughing that were emanating from it. She had run to the store quickly to get a few pies for Thanksgiving dinner (Lena’s cooking had improved dramatically in the three years since she and Kara had gotten married, but she still wasn’t comfortable enough to bake pies for the holidays). 

She smiled widely at the scene that greeted her. J’onn was carving the turkey and Eliza was plating it up a platter of roasted root vegetables. James, Winn, and Brainy were placing all the side dishes on the table- mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roasted yams and Brussels sprouts. Lena had demanded that the men take an active part in cooking and setting the table, and refused to let them sit on the couch and watch football all day. Jess was tossing the salad that Lena had starting demanding be part of the meal. Alex was helping Hannah set the table, showing her how to fold the napkins and where each utensil went. 

Lena’s smile went widest when she looked and saw what her wife and daughter were doing. Kara was sitting on the couch with Allie on her lap, reading her a book. Allie LOVED to read. At 13 months old, she could hold books and turn pages, and she could often be found running to her bookshelf to grab a book and bringing it over to one of her mothers, saying “Ba!” (what they thought was her word for book- she wasn’t speaking much yet) over and over in a dictatorial little voice. Kara and Lena had both gotten good at reading in different voices, doing animal impressions, making sound effects to go along with the story, because they could always make Allie laugh hysterically whenever they did. 

When Allie saw Lena, she squealed “Mooooooooommmy!” and wriggled off Kara’s lap to run to Lena. She had been walking for a little over a month, and was starting to get the hang of running (which was a challenge when they went on family walks, and she decided to take off in a dead run all of a sudden). 

“Hi Baby Bear!” Lena said excitedly, quickly putting the bags of pies down on the floor so that she could catch her daughter. She scooped Allie up and swung her high over her head, delighting in the sound of Allie’s excited laugh. Lena blew a raspberry kiss against Allie’s cheek, before covering her whole face with kisses. After the “kiss attack” was over, she settled Allie against her hip and walked over to take a look at all the dinner prep.

“You’re just in time,” Eliza said with a smile. “We’re just about ready to eat.”

“I have perfect timing!” Lena said with a smile. “Isn’t that right, Allie?” she said, tickling her and making her giggle. “She hasn’t been in the way, has she?”

“Not at all!” Eliza said with a smile. “She and Hannah were starting to get underfoot a little bit, so we put Hannah to work and Kara took Allie to the living room to read to her. It’s a good system.”

“We’ll be putting YOU to work in a few years,” Lena said to Allie in a serious voice, before breaking her composure and laughing as she moved to kiss her daughter’s cheek again. 

Lena put Allie back down on the ground. “Go and see Mama for a little bit and then we’ll eat!” Allie ran back over to Kara, who scooped her up in her lap to read another story. 

Lena cut the pies, and everyone helped put the food on the table. Allie sat between Lena and Kara in her high chair, and Kara had cut her food into small pieces that she could easily eat. Lena took off Allie’s cute Thanksgiving outfit, and she was clothed only in her diaper, because, half-Luthor that she was, she was incredibly stubborn, and demanded to feed herself even though she really couldn’t do it yet. Every time Allie ate, she made a big mess, so eating mostly naked was a necessity at this stage.   
Kara pretended to eat little bits of turkey off Allie’s plate, but stopped when the baby let off a disgruntled cry. Everyone at the table laughed when Lena made Kara apologize to Allie for upsetting her. 

After everyone had fully stuffed themselves (except for Kara, who was NEVER full), Kara stood up and tapped her knife on her wine glass. “You all know the drill by now. It’s that time of dinner where we all share what we’re most thankful for.” 

They were all thankful for so much- J’onn for the better relationships between aliens and humans, and, personally, for his new relationship with a strong, badass human woman who they all couldn’t wait to meet; James for renewed creative passions in photography that gave him joy; Winn for his girlfriend, Kate; Hannah for Paw Patrol, Dora the Explorer, and kindergarten; Jess and Alex for Hannah and for each other; Kara for her family, wife, and daughter; Allie for “Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaah boooooo dat dat,” which Kara translated as “My Mommy and Mama and all of you! And mashed potatoes” (because her face and chest were covered in mashed potatoes- she was definitely getting a bath after this).

When it was Lena’s turn, she cleared her throat. “I’m thankful for family. All of you are my family, whether by marriage or by choice. Five years ago, when I was alone and drunk in this very apartment on Thanksgiving, I never would have imagined that I could have a family like this. A family that loves me, and supports me, no matter what. I’m thankful for my wife and daughter. You two are what makes my life worth living. I love you all,” she said, and with that, her voice broke. When she sat down, Kara held her hand beneath the table, rubbing soothing circles on it with her thumb. 

Later that night, when everyone had left, Kara and Lena climbed into their bed. They had brought Allie into bed with them, and Lena nursed her to sleep. She was cuddled close to Lena with her head on her chest, clutching the strap of her tank top. Lena was slowly combing through Allie’s hair, one of her favorite comfort mechanisms to help her stay calm and sleepy. 

“I never thought I would be so lucky to have this,” Lena said quietly. “You and Allie are the best things that have ever happened to me. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have you two girls in my life.”

Kara leaned over to kiss her, careful not to disturb the sleeping baby. “You are so deserving of love, Lena. I’m so glad that Allie and I, and my family, have helped you see that. But it’s been inside you all along.”

“I know,” Lena said. “I’m not that same drunk girl that I was on Thanksgiving all those years ago. I see love, and I know love. And to me, Kara Danvers, you and Allie exemplify that love. And I will always, always, always be thankful for you.”


	29. Late-Night Ice Cream Runs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena is pregnant and wants ice cream at 3 am... and wants Kara to get it for her!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone requested a chapter when Lena was pregnant, so here’s a cute, fluffy pregnancy-related chapter! I wrote it on my iPhone so apologies for any spelling/grammar errors!

It was 3:00 in the morning, in the middle of August, and Lena Luthor wanted mint chocolate chip ice cream. She was 6 months pregnant, and was far too hot, and far too uncomfortable, to sleep. She was also growing more and more pissed that her wife was contentedly asleep beside her.

“Kara?” Lena whispered.

No answer.

“KARA.” She whispered louder.

Kara’s head shot off the pillow. She had a line of drool coming out of her mouth, and her hair was a mess of blonde tangles, as it always was after she slept.

“Huh? Wuz-goin-on?” Kara asked still half-asleep. She wiped the drool off her face and quickly shook off her sleepy. “What’s wrong? Is it the baby? Is she ok? Are you ok?”

“I can’t sleep.”

Kara groaned. “Please tell me you didn’t just wake me up because you didn’t want to face insomnia alone.” 

Lena rolled over so that she was basically on top of Kara. She nuzzled into her shoulder.

“It’s your fault I’m up,” she pouted.

“It’s MY fault?”

“Yep,” Lena said matter-of-factly. “Because it’s YOUR daughter that’s flipping around like a little gymnast and keeping me up. And it’s YOUR daughter that’s craving ice cream. And it’s YOUR daughter that’s a little mini-furnace and making me feel like it’s a million degrees in here.”

Kara snaked her hand under Lena’s shirt and rested it on her baby bump. She smiled as she felt little kicks against her hand. “She’s sure active, I’ll give you that.” 

“And the ice cream HAS to be from you. I don’t even LIKE ice cream and I’ve been craving it all night.” 

Kara laughed. “Ok, I’ll take the blame for that one, too.” She leaned down to place a kiss on the bump. “Can you please go to sleep so that Mommy can go to sleep, too?” 

Lena laughed. “I wish she could understand you. She can’t, soooo....”   
She waggled her eyebrows at Kara. “Can you at least get me some ice cream?” 

“Lena, it’s 3 in the morning.” 

“How many 24 hour stores are open in this city? And you can FLY. You could be back in 2 minutes.” 

“What happened to only using my powers in an emergency?” 

“This IS an emergency!”

Kara rolled her eyes. “It’s not and you know it.” 

Lena pouted. Her pout wasn’t as lethal as Kara’s, but it was close. “Kara Danvers, if you don’t get me ice cream, I’ll... I won’t have sex with you for a year.”

Kara snorted. “You could never go that long without sex. Plus, I have 3 vibrators and a shower head to use. I’ll be fine.” 

Lena grumped. She wouldn’t actually withhold sex (Kara was right, she could barely last a week without sex, much less a year), but it was a good try.

“Just think of what I’m doing for you- I’m carrying your child in my body for 9 months. 9 months of sickness, and feeling really big, and feeling really tired. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the time spent breastfeeding and getting up all night and....” 

Kara groaned. “Fine, fine. You know I’m only doing this because I love you, right?”

“I know,” Lena said smugly.

Kara sighed and got out of bed, putting on a pair of sweatpants over her sleep shorts so she would look somewhat presentable. “Alex is NOT going to hear about this, right?” Alex hated when Kara “abused” her powers. “And what flavor do you want?” 

“Mint chocolate chip,” Lena said with a smile. She blew Kara a kiss. “Allie and I both thank you!” 

Kara rolled her eyes before opening the window and flying away.

She was back in 5 minutes with a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream and two spoons. 

“You didn’t think you were getting this all to yourself did you?” She said.

Lena laughed. “Of course not! I know you take ice cream seriously.”

They ate ice cream together in bed, the carton resting on Lena’s swollen belly. Kara seemed significantly happier once she had some ice cream in her. 

“This hit the spot,” Lena said, licking her spoon happily. “If you think about it, it’s our first ice cream party as a family of 3.” 

Kara’s eyes widened. “It IS!” Kara loved stuff like this; she pointed out their first family vacation (a babymoon trip to Bermuda), their first time shopping, and their first BBQ. “We should do this with Allie when she’s born,” she said. “Just random ice cream parties. No special occasion, just for fun.” 

Lena smiled. “We should.” 

“I can’t wait to start building traditions with her,” Kara said. “Eliza and Jeremiah had traditions with us that I want to carry on. Donut Friday’s, and eating Chinese takeout on Christmas night. Things that make ordinary days feel special.” 

Lena leaned over to kiss Kara. Her wife’s enthusiasm for motherhood and how much she already loved their daughter meant so much to her. “Any day with you is special, my darling.”

Kara wrinkled her nose up with delight and hugged Lena close to her. “How did I get so lucky to have you as my wife? Beautiful, smart, caring, loving... Allie’s a lucky little girl to be part of this family and to have you as her mom. Even IF you make me get you ice cream in the middle of the night.”

“I’m pretty lucky to have YOU as MY wife,” Lena responded. “Not everyone would get me ice cream in the middle of the night.” 

Kara yawned. “Now that we agree that we’re both lucky- can we go to sleep now?” 

Lena laughed. “Yes, Kara, let’s go to sleep.” And for the first time all night, nestled into her wife’s arms, Lena fell into a deep, contented sleep.


	30. #MomLife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara has an important meeting at work- but Allie has a surprise in store for her!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this one a while back and forgot to post it! I'm working on another chapter now but wanted to get it out there for you all. Enjoy!

Allie- 3 months

Kara’s morning had NOT gone well. 

Lena had left for an early conference call at 7:30, and after she fed Allie, she put the baby in bed with Kara for some morning snuggles. Kara had a CatCo meeting at 12:30, and she was going to open a portal into the DEO daycare so the nursery teachers could watch Allie during the meeting. Kara had planned to be out of bed by 8 to finish all of her morning house chores, and be dressed, primped, and out of the house by 11:45 to make it to CatCo before the meeting to catch up with all her co-workers, since this was her official return from maternity leave (even though she would only be working from the office one day a week). She was excited to finally wear something other than ratty sweats that smelled like drool and spit-up, and even more excited to be around grown-ups for a change. She loved Allie more than anything in the world, but had to admit that it was going to be nice to get out of the house for a while. 

But, like most things in life, the morning hadn’t gone to plan. Allie had been fussy most of the night and had kept Kara and Lena awake for a few hours, and Kara was absolutely exhausted. She soon fell fast asleep with Allie safe and snug in the bed beside her in her Dock-a-Tot pillow. Kara forgot to set an alarm, and it was only Allie’s hungry cries at 11:30 that woke her. 

“Shit shit shit shit shit!” she said when she saw the time on her phone alarm. “Oh, Rao, how did I let this happen?” 

She turned to Allie. “How come you can sleep 4 hours in the morning but we can barely get you to sleep 2 in a row at night?” Allie continued to cry harder, her face turning bright red. Kara sighed. “I know, you want food. Let’s go heat up your milk.” She knew she didn’t have time to feed the baby, shower, and get ready on time; it had been more than 4 hours since Allie had last eaten, so her daughter’s needs came first. She would just have to go to CatCo unshowered, but honestly, it was nothing a good bun couldn’t fix. 

She heated up some of the milk that Lena had pumped and frozen until it was warm enough for the baby to drink. Allie was luckily not a very particular baby, and was much like Kara in the fact that she could eat any time, anywhere. So she was not unhappy to drink her bottle in the bathroom where Kara alternated between feeding the baby and brushing her teeth, all while holding Allie securely in one arm. 

After Allie had eaten, Kara laid her in her Dock-a-Tot on the bed while she got dressed. She put on a beautiful black blouse (Giorgio Armani, courtesy of the clothes that Lena could no longer appropriately wear while breastfeeding unless she wanted to burst out of them in the office) and cream-colored slacks. 

And then Allie started crying, and Kara couldn’t figure out why. She was fed, she was warm, and she had been burped- NOPE. Kara had forgotten to burp her!

“Sorry, Allie Cat,” she murmured as she picked her up, placed her over her shoulder, and began patting her back. “I know all the gas in your tummy was making you uncomfortable.” After a few moments of back-patting, Allie let off a mighty burp, and, as she did EVERY time Allie burped, Kara exclaimed, “That’s a big burp for a little girl!” 

She glanced at the clock and saw that she had exactly 10 minutes to get to CatCo. She quickly bundled Allie into her carrier, grabbed the diaper bag, and opened a portal into the DEO using the portaling device Alex had developed (using a very illegal Time Courier that Sara Lance had smuggled her when she last visited). She made sure that Allie was safe and sound at the DEO daycare before taking off and flying to CatCo as fast as she could. She was in such a hurry that she didn’t hear the head teacher call “Ms. Danvers, WAIT-“ when she turned around. 

She landed in a blur on the roof of CatCo (which the DEO had conveniently concealed as they had the balcony at Kara and Lena’s apartment). She ran down the stairs to the top-floor conference room, where the meeting was being held. 

Kara worked the room like she always did- greeting everyone, asking about spouses and kids, showing off pictures of Allie on her phone. Everyone loved the picture of James holding Allie for the first time, not entirely sure what to do with the baby, but looking down at her with a besotted expression. 

Suddenly, she felt someone pull on her arm. 

“Keira.” 

Kara turned around and plastered a smile on her face. “Hi, Ms. Grant!” she said in her best fake “I’m so happy to see you” voice. Even after all these years, Cat Grant was still intimidating. “I was just showing Eve some new pictures of Allie.”

Cat ignored her greeting. “Do you want to tell me why you came to this very important meeting with spit-up all over the back of your wife’s Armani blouse?”

Kara’s heart dropped. Allie must have spit up on her when she burped her! “Oh, no. I had no clue.” She didn’t have a sweater or blazer, or anything else to hide the stain. 

Cat led Kara out of the room, towards her own office. “Do you have anything else that you can wear? I know your standards aren’t high, but I refuse to let you come to a meeting with that stain on your blouse.”

Kara shook her head, absolutely mortified. 

Cat sighed. “I was actually thinking of offering you one of MY old blouses that I keep in my office, but I’m much smaller than you are.” Kara ignored the backhanded insult. “What are you? A Medium?”

Kara nodded. 

“Julie is a medium and she was wearing a blazer today.” “Julie” was Cat’s latest assistant, who Kara knew for a fact was actually named Jenna.

“JULIE!” Cat shouted. The young woman, still slightly shell-shocked, came running. “Give Keira your blazer. She needs it.” Jenna obediently took off the blazer and handed it to Kara, who thanked her profusely and promised to have it dry-cleaned. The blazer was a bit short in the arms and tight in the shoulders, but it would work for the time of the meeting. 

“Thank you so much, Ms. Grant,” Kara said as they walked back to the conference room. “You’re a lifesaver.” 

“I know,” Cat said nonchalantly. “I know it’s hard to believe, Keira, but I’ve been there before.”

“YOU?” Kara said, shocked. She was surprised that Cat Grant would have ever even dealt with spit-up or dirty diapers… she thought she would have nannies for that. 

“Not with Carter,” she said, almost as if she was reading Kara’s mind. “But with Adam. I actually took care of him myself. I was still just a reporter then. It was far before CatCo, far before I became who I am today.” The expression on her face softened. “Back then, I was just a new mother, trying to do the best I could. Just like you are now. Motherhood isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it.”

Kara nodded. “Some days are hard, but then she looks at me and gives me a smile, or cuddles in to me when I hold her, and that makes it all worth it.”

Cat nodded, then gave Kara a side-eyed glance. “And for future reference, just remember- don’t wear an Armani blouse when taking care of a baby. They ruin EVERYTHING.”

And at that last piece of advice, Kara had to smile.


	31. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allie is an adorable Baby Bear, and Kara and Lena make some big decisions that will have a major impact on their family.

It was a fairly typical Tuesday evening in the Luthor-Danvers household. Kara had made a delicious dinner: penne pasta with baked chicken parmesan and a homemade tomato sauce, with a kale side salad for Lena and a side of steamed broccoli for Allie (Lena demanded she eat something green at every meal), and absolutely NO VEGETABLES whatsoever for Kara. 

Allie, at 18 months old, was even more adamant than ever about feeding herself. Her preferred method was to have the pasta, chicken pieces, and broccoli cut up and spread out over her plate, and she picked up each piece and ate it with her hands. It made for a very messy little girl, but she always got a bath after dinner anyway, and it saved Kara and Lena from having to deal with a tantrum. 

Allie finished the last piece of chicken, clapped her hands, and said “All done!” She’d finished all her chicken and pasta (minus one piece of chicken that she had dropped and Streaky had gobbled up before Lena was able to pick it up off the floor) and most of her broccoli. 

“Good job, Allie!” Kara said excitedly. She turned to Lena. “Thank Rao, I think this one’s a winner.” 

“Finally!” Lena said with a happy sigh. 

Allie had been going through a bit of a picky phase, and the week before ate only scrambled eggs or oatmeal for dinner every night because she refused to eat anything her mothers had cooked. Lena was less of a sucker to Allie’s pout than Kara, and always made her take two bites of whatever had been cooked for her, but after tantrums three nights in a row, both Kara and Lena decided it wasn’t worth the fight to make her eat. 

Kara and Lena were amazed at how fast Allie was growing up. She was no longer a baby who was dependent on them for everything, but a smart, friendly, happy, curious, and (no surprise, being Lena’s daughter) strong-willed little girl. She was a chatterbox, and could speak in 2-4 word sentences. She could pick out letters of the alphabet when they read books to her, and already loved building things and taking them apart (well, building block towers and then crashing into them, saying “BOOM” loudly and giggling like a maniac). She loved to run, and sometimes could only be contained by Kara’s superspeedy arms, She wasn’t showing signs of powers yet- they’d actually had Alex test her at the DEO- she was just an unusually fast toddler! Lena had weaned her the month before, and it had actually gone much smoother than either Lena or Kara had anticipated. The nightly nursing sessions were replaced with 2 stories and 2 lullabies before rocking her to sleep, and the morning nursing sessions had been replaced with family snuggles in Lena and Kara’s bed, and it had worked like a charm. She loved swimming lessons at the YMCA twice a week (once with Kara on Tuesdays and once with Lena on Saturdays) and storytime and songs at the library. Allie was an extrovert like Kara who made friends wherever she went. Like with every child, there were challenges- tantrums when she didn’t get her way, an affinity for the word “NO!”- but overall Allie was an easy, happy child who made Lena and Kara’s life a delight. They were a perfect little threesome. 

“Allie, what do you say to Mama for making you such a nice dinner?” Lena asked. She was really pushing the whole “manners” thing. 

“T’ank you Mama,” Allie said sweetly. 

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” Kara said happily. She loved listening to Allie talk. She had the cutest little voice, slightly squeaky, but very articulate for an 18-month-old. 

“Kiss?” Allie asked, puckering up her lips for Kara to kiss. Kara leaned forward and gave Allie a kiss, and then Allie turned to Lena and said “Mommy kiss?” and Lena gave her a quick kiss, too. 

Allie turned to Lena. “Mommy t’ank you?”

Lena was slightly confused. “I didn’t make your dinner, baby.”

Allie was undeterred. “Mommy, T’ANK YOU.”

Kara suddenly started laughing- she got what Allie was trying to say. “I think she wants you to thank me for dinner, too.”

Lena laughed, too. “Of course we had to have the world’s most perceptive toddler.” She turned to Kara. “Thank you so much for the wonderful dinner. It was absolutely delicious.” She looked at Allie and raised her eyebrow. “Happy now?”

Allie just giggled in response. 

Lena helped Kara take the dishes to the sink, then went over to Allie, undid her bib (which did very little in keeping food off of the messy toddler), unstrapped her from her high chair, and held her against her hip. Lena was luckily wearing lounge clothes instead of a work outfit, because Allie’s face and torso were covered in pasta sauce. “SOMEONE needs a bath.”

“Noooooooooooo,” Allie whined. “Play.”

“You know the rules,” Lena said. “We get a bath after dinner and you can play in the water.” Allie had a large collection of bath toys, and she was always allowed to play in the water for a few minutes before she was bathed. 

Lena was using her no-nonsense “mom voice,” which she had perfected by the time Allie turned one (Kara still hadn’t grasped it, and probably never would). Allie already knew what that tone meant. She let out a disappointed “Hmph” and pushed out her bottom lip in a pout that was exactly a miniature of Kara’s, but seemed to have resigned herself to her fate. 

While Kara cleaned the kitchen, Lena carried Allie to the bathroom and closed the door, because while she was fast enough to dart out of an open door and run through the apartment naked (which had happened, multiple times), she wasn’t quite tall enough to reach the door handle yet (thank goodness!). Lena turned on the water, tested the temperature against her wrist, and undressed a squirmy, protesting Allie. 

“You’re such a drama queen,” Lena muttered. “You love baths and you know it. Why don’t you pick out two toys to play with?” 

Allie picked out a rubber duck and a little boat, and seemed much more excited for her bath once she’d made her choice. Lena picked her up and put her in the tub, and set a timer for seven minutes so that Allie could play. 

As Allie played in the water, Lena knelt on the floor beside the bathtub and played with her. She looked up when she heard the door open. Kara peeked her head in. “Can I join you ladies?”

“Mama!” Allie said excitedly. She held up the rubber duck. “Duck!”

“That’s right,” Kara said, closing the door behind her (better to be safe than sorry!” and moving to sit down on the floor beside Lena. “What do ducks say?” she asked Allie.

“Quack quack!” Allie said. She loved imitating animals. 

Kara got her to run through a list of her favorites- dog, cow, horse, monkey. Allie loved mimicking the monkey’s silly “Ooooh oooh ahh ahh!” and starting laughing when both Kara and Lena did monkey impressions, too, and laughed even harder when Lena leaned in to tickle her under the arm. Kara and Lena both got splashed when she kicked her legs excitedly, but neither minded.

“What does Streaky say?” Lena asked. 

“Meow,” Allie answered happily. 

“And what kind of animal is Streaky?” Kara asked. 

“Cat!” Allie said. 

“You’re so good at this!” Kara said. She leaned over and gave Allie a kiss on the cheek. “Such a smart little girl we have. You take after your mommy.”

“AND your mama,” Lena added with a smile. 

The timer went off. “Okay, time for soap,” Lena said. Allie was having so much fun with both of her moms in the bathroom with her that she didn’t even mind when her toys were taken away. Lena gently bathed her, and Allie giggled when Lena made a “whooshing” sound when she poured a cup of water on her head to rinse out the shampoo.   
Lena grabbed a hooded towel with a bear face and ears on the hood. It was perfect for Allie, whose nickname (one of many!) was “Baby Bear.” Lena scooped her up out of tub and sat on the toilet with Allie cuddled close in her lap as she dried her off. Lena whispered to her daughter and made silly noises that made her giggle as she dried her. 

She looked up and saw Kara looking at her with a soft expression. 

“What?” she asked with a laugh. 

“You’re such a good mom,” Kara said. “You’re a natural.”

Lena smiled. “I wouldn’t say I’m a natural, but I’ve learned these past 18 months. And luckily I’ve got the best little girl in the world to be a mommy to,” she said, giving Allie a kiss. Allie yawned widely as Lena kissed her. 

“Getting sleepy, Baby Bear?” Kara asked. 

“No,” Allie said as she rubbed her eyes. 

“I think you are,” Kara said with a smile. “Wanna trade off?” she asked Lena, holding her arms out for her daughter. Lena passed Allie over, and Kara gave her another kiss. “Let’s go get your jammies on and then read, okay?” 

“Okay,” Allie said. 

Kara carried her into the nursery and put a clean diaper on her, then put her in some comfy pajamas. She combed out her curls, which, just like Kara’s, could get very tangled in the morning. Allie still didn’t have too much hair on her head yet (she had inherited that from Kara- Alura had told Kara back on Krypton that she was practically bald until she was 2), so they were able to towel dry her hair and let the rest air-dry while they read to her. 

Kara then carried her over the bookshelf and let Allie pick out two books to read. Sometimes they were able to get through two stories, but by the way Allie was yawning, Kara wouldn’t be surprised if they were only able to read one. 

Allie picked out “Llama Llama Red Pajama” and “Guess How Much I Love You,” which were two of Kara’s favorites to read her. They both made their way over to the rocking chair. Kara pulled Allie into her lap. Allie, obviously sleepy by this point, rested against Kara’s chest and popped her thumb in her mouth. Thumb sucking had always been one of her favorite forms of self-comfort, and although Lena sometimes worried about it affecting her teeth, neither of them really minded it. 

Kara gently read “Guess How Much I Love You” to her. Lena paused at the door to watch her wife and daughter together. She and Kara often called Allie their Little Nutbrown Hair in reference to the book, and one of their favorite expressions to say to her was “I love you right up to the moon- and back.” Lena’s heart swelled as she heard Kara’s soft voice, and saw how Allie was contentedly cuddled in to her. Kara was SUCH a good mom- she always had been. She loved Allie so much that it almost hurt Lena in the best of ways to see it. Kara had wanted to be a mom for so long, and Allie had made that dream a reality. 

When the story was finished, Kara began rocking back and forth slowly, singing a Kryptonian lullaby. Allie’s eyes drooped as Kara sang, and soon her breathing slowed. When Kara finished singing, she gently carried Allie to her crib, set her inside, and arranged a blanket over her. She checked that the baby monitor was on, and then smiled when she looked up and saw Lena. 

“You’re such a good mom,” Lena said when Kara joined her outside the nursery, cracking the door slightly. 

“She’s the best thing in my life,” Kara said as they walked over to the couch together. “She and you together.”

“It’s the same for me,” Lena said as she sat down on the sofa. Kara lay next to her with her head in Lena’s lap, and Lena began running her fingers through Kara’s hair. “You and Allie are my whole life, my whole world. I never imagined that I would ever be here, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” 

Kara smiled against Lena’s thigh. “I didn’t know that I could love someone so much until I loved you two.” 

“Me, too,” Lena said softly. They were quiet for a few minutes, as Lena continued to stroke Kara’s hair. 

“Remember the conversation we had a few months ago?” Lena asked suddenly. 

“Which one?” Kara said. She yawned and sat up. “We’ve had a lot of conversations, babe.”

“The one about maybe having another baby.”

“Oh… that one,” Kara said. She remembered that conversation well. It was one of their post-sex discussions. Surprisingly, some of their best discussions- and best decisions- came after sex. Lena had been lying against Kara’s chest, basking in a post-orgasm glow. 

“Have you ever thought about how many kids you wanted?” Kara had asked. 

The question had come as a shock for Lena. She removed herself from Kara’s arms and sat up against the pillows. “I’m not sure,” she said honestly. Lena had never imagined herself with ANY children, much less multiples of them. Now that they had Allie, she would never, ever give her up for ANYTHING, but she hadn’t really considered expanding the family further yet. It was an abstract concept that could happen, someday, but one child was plenty for the time being. 

“Have you been thinking about it?” she asked Kara. 

“Some,” Kara said. “I mean, Alex and Jess decided to stop at one, but… I loved having a sister. And I’d like that for Allie, too.”

“Allie’s only just turned one,” Lena said. “She’s still breastfeeding. I at least need to wean her first before considering having another baby. And, well, last time was so hard. I’m afraid of history repeating itself,” Lena added quietly. Getting pregnant had not been a happy time in Lena’s life. The pain of the failed attempts and the miscarriage still sat with her heavily. And when she had actually gotten pregnant, the morning sickness was so horrific she had to be hospitalized. 

“Oh, I don’t mean right now,” Kara said. “Just… maybe someday. And you don’t have to carry this time. I know Alex said that my uterus was too strong to viably grow a baby, but I could try… or maybe we could adopt. I was just thinking about it.”

Lena looked sad. “Can we talk about this later?” she said. “I’m not… I’m not ready to talk about it right now.” 

“Of course,” Kara said, reaching out to rub Lena’s hand. “Whenever you’re ready. IF you’re ever ready. I’ll only do what you want.”

“Thank you,” Lena said softly. 

And, true to Kara’s word, she hadn’t brought it up in the six months since. It was Lena who had brought it up this time. 

“Is there a reason why you’re asking?” Kara asked gently. 

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately,” Lena said. “And I’ve realized that I want Allie to have a sibling. I want her to have someone to grow up with, and play with, and fight with, and love. I’m ready to try for another baby,” Lena said. “Whenever you are. And if it doesn’t work, then maybe we can foster, or adopt. But either way… I’m ready.” 

Kara sat up. She grasped Lena’s hands, and looked at her with tears in her eyes. She had been waiting for Lena to say those words for months. “I’m ready, too.”

“I’ve been tracking my cycles for a few months, actually,” Lena said. “Just in case. My peak fertility is next week.”

“Oh,” Kara said in surprise. “You’re ready that soon?”

“I’m ready that soon,” Lena said with a smile. “I’m serious about this, and it may take a few tries, so…” 

Kara laughed, almost in a happy haze. “We’re really doing this then.”

“We’re really doing this.”

Kara leaned forward and gave Lena a kiss. “I’ll call Alex tomorrow.” She kissed Lena again, and then gently pinned her to the couch. “You have no idea how happy I am right now.” 

Lena laughed. “I’m so happy, too. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

**  
Eight Weeks Later

Kara touched down on the balcony outside her apartment. The balcony was concealed with a barrier that hid it from the rest of the world, so she could come and go safely as Supergirl. She typed in the access code, and the balcony door opened into the apartment. 

“Mmmmmm, something smells good,” she called out. 

“Mama!” Allie called out. She ran over to Kara, clutching something in her little hands. 

“Hey, Allie Cat!” Kara said happily. She picked up her daughter and kissed her on the cheek. “Whatcha got there?” she said, looking at the small wrapped box Allie was holding.

“P’esent,” Allie said. 

“A present?” Kara asked. “For me?” 

“Mommy,” Allie said. 

“Oh, it’s to me from Mommy?” Kara said. 

“Yuh.”

“Okay,” Kara said, carrying Allie over to the couch and sitting with her on her lap. “Let’s see what it is.” She caught Lena out of the corner of her eye, watching them quietly. 

Kara helped Allie unwrap the little box. When she opened it, she felt her heart stop. The box held three pregnancy tests (with the top on them, of course). All three were positive.

“Lee…” Kara breathed. She looked up at Lena, her eyes full of tears. ”Is this for real?”

“It’s for real,” Lena said, tears also glistening in her eyes. “I threw up at work this morning, and… I just had a feeling.”

“It worked,” Kara said, still in almost disbelief. 

“It worked,” Lena said. 

Kara picked Allie up and walked over to Lena. She held her wife and daughter close to her. “I love both of you so much. And I love our new baby so much.” She gently touched Lena’s still-flat stomach, and smiled when she caught the sound of the fluttering heartbeat that she now knew was there. 

“Allie’s going to be a big sister,” Kara said, her voice full of wonder. “And we’re going to be moms again. I can’t believe it- we’re having another baby.”

Lena smiled, feeling so full of joy. “We’re having another baby.”

Let the adventure begin again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is! I've been hinting about adding another member to the family for a while. I've had her name picked out for a while and everything! I can't wait to start writing about our new- and growing- little family :)


	32. Sharing the News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena tell their friends and family that they're expecting their second child.

Lena was reluctant to share the news that she and Kara were expecting their second child. So far, the only one who knew other than them was Alex. They’d even sworn her to secrecy from Jess and Eliza. Lena was still haunted by the miscarriage she’d had almost three years before. It had taken so long for her to get pregnant, so she and Kara had immediately told everyone they knew that Lena was pregnant. However, that meant that they’d also had the heartbreaking task of having to share that Lena had lost the baby. The miscarriage itself was devastating enough, but it was like having to experience it all over again every time they had to share the news with someone else. Lena couldn’t even do it; she left it up to Kara. 

When she was pregnant with Allie, it was hard to keep it a secret because Lena had been so sick. She had to be hospitalized twice to get fluids because she was so dehydrated from morning sickness, and she actually had to take sick days from L Corp, which she had never done before in her life. She didn’t start showing until she was almost 20 weeks along, but all of their close friends and family already knew about the baby by that point. 

Lena’s second pregnancy had been so much easier than her first. She experienced some morning sickness and fatigue, but not enough to be hospitalized or take days off work. She hadn’t experienced any bleeding or any other symptoms that were out of the ordinary, but she still didn’t want to make the pregnancy public. 

“Let’s wait until I start showing,” she had said to Kara. 

“Lena, you didn’t show until 20 weeks with Allie,” Kara replied with a frown. 

“I know,” Lena said. “But we’ll be past the danger point. If something’s going to go wrong, it most likely would have already gone wrong by then.”

“I’ll do whatever you’re most comfortable with, you know that,” Kara said. “But I think that you can tell people earlier than 20 weeks.”

“Logically, I know that,” Lena said. “But I don’t want to jinx it. Everything has gone well so far… TOO well. I got pregnant the first try. I haven’t had bad morning sickness. No cramping, no bleeding, nothing. It seems too good to be true.”

Kara leaned forward and kissed her wife on the forehead. “I know you’re worried. And you have every right to be. I know how hard the miscarriage was for you. But just remember that maybe, just maybe, things are going well because they just ARE. Try not to worry so much. It’s not good for the baby.” She kissed Lena again. 

“I know,” Lena said. “But I’d still like to wait a while longer. Just in case.”

But there wasn’t much longer that she COULD wait. To Lena’s surprise, she began showing at only 14 weeks. 

She made the realization one morning when Kara brought Allie into their bed for some early morning snuggles. Lena had just gotten out of the shower and was only wearing a bra and underwear, but she climbed back into bed for a few minutes with her wife and daughter. Allie cuddled up closely to her and wrapped her arms around Lena’s neck and nuzzled into her shoulder and chest. After a few minutes of kisses and cuddles, Allie shifted positions and one of her hands grazed Lena’s stomach. She lifted up her head and gave Lena a puzzled look, before looking down. She started giggling.

“Mommy tummy FAT!” 

Kara sat up. “Alura Alexandra!” she exclaimed in her most stern voice. “That’s not a very nice thing to say. Remember, we don’t say mean things about other people’s bodies. We think all bodies are beautiful.”

However, to Kara’s surprise, Lena started laughing. 

“She’s right! My belly’s popped.” She sat up to show Kara, and Kara saw that it was true. There was a baby bump there. 

“Wow...” Kara said, moving to touch it. 

“My pregnancy app told me that I might carry differently the second time around. My uterus isn’t the same as it was before Allie. I guess I’m just showing earlier than I did with her. My boobs are bigger, too.”

“Oh, I DEFINITELY knew that!” Kara laughed. She had been LOVING Lena’s bigger breasts lately, and never missed an opportunity to nuzzle in to them or to play with them when they were fooling around.

Lena gave Allie a kiss and climbed out of bed to get dressed. She groaned when she tried to zip up her skirt.

“It’s not zipping up. My stomach’s too big.” She sighed. “I don’t think I’ll be able to hide it anymore.”

“Should we send out the announcement?” Kara asked. They had already prepared an email announcement to send out to family, friends, and close co-workers. Kara had thought of the idea and was very proud of it. She had taken a picture of Allie wearing a blue t-shirt with “Super Sister” written on it with the Supergirl symbol in the middle. Allie was smiling widely and was doing a very accurate imitation of Kara’s takeoff pose. The caption of the photo read, “All great superheroes come as part of a team. We’re so excited to add a new hero to our team! Baby Sister coming in April!”

Lena nodded. 

Kara let out a girlish squeal and clapped her hands, then leaned forward and gave Allie a squeeze and a kiss. Allie giggled at her mother’s enthusiasm. 

I’m so excited!” Kara exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting for this for weeks.”

Lena gave Kara a smile. “I know you have.” Kara would have told the whole world the second Lena showed her the positive pregnancy tests if she could. 

“Can I send it now?” Kara looked a bit sheepish. “I may have already written a draft email a few weeks ago.”

Lena rolled her eyes. “Of course you did.” She still gave Kara a loving smile. “You can go ahead and send it. I’d rather get it out of the way.” She sighed. “I’m so NOT looking forward to being treated like I’m made of glass for the next six months.” All of Lena’s employees, particularly Jess, were overly protective of her when she was pregnant. 

“I just sent it!” Kara called from the bedroom while Lena was in the bathroom doing her makeup.

“Did you have everyone’s email addresses typed in already?” Lena called back. 

There was a pause. “Maybe.”

Lena rolled her eyes again. She loved her wife with all her heart, but sometimes she was just too much!

It was only a few minutes after Kara sent out the email that the congratulations started rolling in. 

Brainy and Nia sent a picture of themselves both with huge thumbs up and open-mouthed, excited expressions. Clark and Lois sent congratulations from themselves and their own two boys, James sent a “Congrats on the Sex” GIF (even though he knew fully well that this baby wasn’t conceived during sex), and Winn asked if the baby’s middle name was going to be Winslow in honor of him. Eliza called and emotionally congratulated them, because she knew the pain they had gone through before Allie, and how much this new baby meant to them. J’onn texted that he was feeling more stressed now that he now had yet another little lady to be overly protective of, and Cat Grant simply emailed a reply that said “I hope you don’t think that this means that you don’t have to work as hard.” Jess simply started fretting over Lena as soon as she walked in the office, begging her not to go near any dangerous chemicals in the lab and to leave the heavy lifting to other people. 

At 4:00, Kara and Lena both got texts from Alex. “Emergency at the DEO. Need you both here immediately.”

Allie was already at the DEO’s daycare, so Kara flew to the DEO in her Supergirl suit as fast as she could, and Lena used a teleportal that Alex had set up connecting her office directly to the DEO. 

However, when they both arrived, they weren’t greeted by the chaos that normally surrounded a DEO-emergency, but by a crowd of their closest family and friends all shouting “Congratulations!” 

Lena, who was a bit more emotional due to the hormones from her pregnancy, started crying, and Kara, who was just always emotional in general, started crying along with her. 

J’onn, who was holding Allie, came up to them. Allie seemed a little upset to see her mothers crying. 

“Mommy and Mama sad?” she asked. 

Lena held out her hands and took Allie from J’onn. She gave her a kiss. “We’re not sad, sweetie,” she said reassuringly. “We’re very happy because we have so many people who love our family.”

“You cry,” Allie said, still not convinced. 

“Sometimes when you get really, really happy you can cry,” Kara said, brushing some dark curls behind Allie’s ear. “We’re not sad, we promise. We’re very happy to be here with you, and with our family and friends.” Kara wiped away the tears that had been coming down. “See? Mama’s not crying anymore, and neither is Mommy. We’re all done. We’re very happy.”

“’Kay,” Allie said, still not wholly convinced. 

They moved over to where Alex, Jess, Winn, James, J’onn, and even Eliza (who had come down from Midvale for the party) were standing. Everyone gave them hugs, and after the hugs and more congratulations, Kara immediately started grabbing some of the potstickers that Alex had ordered. 

“What a wonderful surprise!” Lena exclaimed. “Right Kara?” She arched her eyebrow at her wife, who was stuffing her face with potstickers.

“Mmmmhmmph,” Kara said, her mouth full. 

“We know how much this baby means to you two,” Alex said. “We love you, and we love Allie, and we already love Baby.”

“We love you all, too,” Lena said. “We’re so lucky to have such a wonderful support system for us and for the girls.” That felt new and strange to say- “the girls.”

“We can’t wait to meet her,” Eliza said. “I hope you all know that I still plan on coming and staying for as long as you need me once she’s born.”

“THANK YOU,” Lena and Kara both said together. Eliza had been such a help when Allie was born, and they knew they would need even more help trying to care for a newborn baby and an energetic toddler. 

“This is just the next step on our great adventure,” Kara said with a smile. “We’re so excited to be on it, and we’re so glad that you all get to be on it with us.”


	33. Big Sister in Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara get Allie ready for the very important role of being a big sister!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't planning on getting the chapter out so soon, but I was home sick from work today and wanted to write. Next chapter we'll be meeting the newest member of the Luthor-Danvers family, and I'm so excited to introduce her to everyone!

One of the most important parts in preparing for the new baby’s arrival was getting Allie ready to be a big sister. Both Kara and Lena knew that the transition from only child to having a new sibling in the family could be extremely rough on the older child. Kara made the mistake of visiting various “Mommy forums” online and read so many horror stories from other parents- children who regressed from being potty trained to having to be back in diapers; children who refused to have anything to do with the baby; children who jealously pinched or pushed the baby. 

“What if she hates her?” Kara asked Lena one night as they lay in bed. Lena was only a few weeks pregnant and hadn’t started showing, and they hadn’t started talking about the baby with Allie yet. 

Lena put down the book she was reading. “She won’t hate her.”

“But what if she does? Or what if she tries to pinch her or push her or…”

“Darling,” Lena said, grabbing Kara’s hand reassuringly and lacing their fingers together. “You worry too much.”

“I know,” Kara sighed. “Just… all of those stories from the forums scared me.”

Lena groaned. “What did I tell you about going on those parenting forums? They’re full of horror stories and don’t do any good but to get you worried.” Lena knew by now that with Kara, talking through what was worrying her was the best route to go. “What are you most nervous about?”

“I’m afraid that the new baby will have a negative effect on Allie. Like, she won’t adjust well, and it’ll cause all kinds of problems for her, and in 30 years when she’s in therapy she’ll say ‘It all started when my parents added that horrible new baby to the family.’”

Lena smiled at Kara. “She’s a half alien whose uncle and grandmother are murderous xenophobes with more than a hint of mental issues. If she’s in therapy in 30 years, it WON’T be because she got a little sister, trust me.” She squeezed Kara’s hand. “I’m really surprised that you’re so anxious about all of this. You were the one who wanted Allie to have a sister because of your close relationship with Alex.”

“I know,” Kara said with a sigh. “I think it’s partly because of my relationship with Alex that I’m so worried. We’re so close now, but we weren’t always. We had to grow into our relationship, and I’m scared that Allie and her sister won’t.”

Lena brought Kara’s hand up to her mouth and kissed it. “You and Alex were also 13 and 14 when you became sisters. That’s a rough age as it is. Allie won’t quite be 2 and a half when the baby’s born. All she’ll ever remember is having a sister. And yes, they’ll fight, and have their own issues to work through, but that’s what happens with ALL siblings. They’ll still love each other, and protect each other, no matter what. I mean, Allie’s not even 2 yet, and I already can tell you that she’s going to be so protective of her sister.” 

Kara smiled slightly. Allie had already clearly inherited Kara’s protective streak; she was always the first to come to the aid of another child who tripped and fell at daycare, and more than once she’d been put in time out for hitting someone who took a toy from another child and made them cry. 

“But what if she starts regressing back into infant behaviors?” Kara asked. They hadn’t started potty training yet, but had planned to do it before the baby arrived. “What if she needs diapers again, or wants to drink from a bottle, or even asks to breastfeed?”

“If she needs to go back to diapers, we’ll put her back in diapers,” Lena said. She had already read a book about potty training, and had decided on a method where they would do it over the course of a long weekend. “But I don’t think she will. Allie’s very mature for her age. And if she asks to drink from a bottle or nurse, we won’t let her. We’ll emphasize that she’s a big girl, not a baby, and can drink out of a cup like a big girl.” She kissed Kara’s hand again. “Don’t worry so much about it. We’ve got over 6 months to get her ready.”

“I know,” Kara sighed. “I just want everything to go okay.”

“It will,” Lena said. “I promise.”

**

They started talking to Allie about the new baby once Lena started showing. Allie had already noticed that Lena’s stomach was growing. 

“Why Mommy’s tummy big?” Allie asked one day when they were all lying in bed together. 

“Remember how we read the book about how babies grow in their mommy’s tummy?” Lena said. They had read a book a few nights before about babies, to approach the concept with Allie. 

“Uh huh,” Allie said. 

“Well, I’ve got a baby girl in my tummy that’s growing there.” Lena placed Allie’s hand on her stomach. “This is where the baby is growing and is getting big and strong.”

“A baby’s in there?” Allie asked. 

“Yep,” Kara said, placing her hand over Allie’s, still resting on Lena’s stomach. “And in a few months, the baby will be ready to come out, and she’ll come home and live with us. She’ll be your little sister and she’ll love you very much.”

“Sister?” Allie asked.

“You know what sisters are,” Lena said. “Like Mama and Aunt Alex. Aunt Alex is Mama’s big sister, just like you’ll be the baby’s big sister.” 

“Ohhhhhhhhh,” Allie said slowly with a nod. However, her curiosity about the baby quickly waned, and she asked if they could watch Frozen instead. 

Kara approached the topic of babies and sisters again the next day during a song and story time session at the library. A mother was sitting beside them with her son, who looked to be about 3, and infant daughter. When it came time for everyone to pick musical instruments, the little boy got a tambourine for himself and an egg shaker for his sister.

“Look,” Kara said, pointing at them. “That little boy just got an instrument for his little sister. Remember that you’ll be getting a little sister soon, too?”

“Yeah,” Allie said, more interested in own tambourine than Kara’s conversation. But Kara wasn’t giving up.

“Look how he was helping her. Babies can’t do a lot of things themselves, so they need help. You can help me and mommy with your sister when she’s born.”

“She come to story time?” Allie asked. 

“Yes, she’ll come to story time with us,” Kara said. “Maybe when she’s a little bigger you can get an instrument for her like that little boy did for his sister.”

“I have to share?” 

“Yes, you’ll have to share things with her, like toys. But you’re good at sharing, right?”

“Uh huh,” Allie said. “I like to share.”

“I know,” Kara said, placing a kiss on Allie’s dark curls. “You’ll be the best big sister ever.”

As Lena’s pregnancy progressed, they tried to involve Allie in getting ready for the baby’s arrival as much as they could. They often read her books at bedtime about babies and becoming a big sister, and when the baby started moving, they let Allie feel her movements. 

“That’s the baby?” Allie asked as she felt the gentle kicks against her hand, which rested against Lena’s stomach. 

“Yep,” Lena said. “She’s kicking.” 

“You have a ball in your tummy, too?” Allie asked, her eyes wide.

Lena laughed. “No, I don’t have a ball in my tummy. She just likes to kick sometimes. I think it must be a little boring in there by herself.”

“She’s all alone?” Allie asked, worry in her voice. “She scared?” Allie sometimes got scared when she was alone in her room by herself, and she was afraid that the baby was scared, too. 

“No, she’s not scared,” Lena reassured her. “She’s not REALLY alone. She can hear everything we say. She already knows your voice. Would you like to talk to her?”

Allie nodded. She put her face very close to Lena’s stomach. “Hi Baby.”

“Why don’t you say who you are?” Lena said. 

“I’m Allie.”

“Allie is your big sister,” Lena said to the baby. She ran a hand through Allie’s hair. “Can you tell the baby that you love her?”

“Love you, Baby,” Allie said, and, without any prompting, placed a kiss against Lena’s stomach. “I give the baby kisses.” 

Lena felt herself choking up. Allie was already so loving and so giving, and it truly touched her. 

She looked up to see Kara with her phone out and a smile on her face. “I got all of that,” she said, her voice clouded with emotion, too. 

“Does Baby love me?” Allie asked quietly. 

Kara joined her wife and daughter on the couch. “The baby loves you very much.” 

“Good,” Allie said. “I love Baby.” She gently laid her head on Lena’s stomach, and both Kara and Lena had to wipe tears away as they saw their two girls, one in the world and one not yet born, already bonding. 

Talking to the baby became an everyday part of life in the Luthor-Danvers household. Allie always said good morning to the baby, and told her about her day when Lena got home in the evenings, and always wanted to sing to her or read her a book at night. It was the sweetest thing, and Kara and Lena both loved it. 

They bought Allie a realistic baby doll, and used the doll to try to teach her about how the baby might act, and how she would need to be cared for. 

Eliza had bought Allie a play tea set, and she loved playing “tea party.” She was having a tea party with Kara, Flopsy (her favorite stuffed rabbit), and the baby doll (which she had descriptively named Baby, and Kara and Lena started calling the real baby “Sissy” to separate the two). 

“Will Baby Sissy have tea parties?” Allie asked Kara as Kara took a pretend sip of tea. 

“Maybe when she’s a little bigger,” Kara said. “She’s going to be really tiny for a while. When babies are brand new, they can’t play like you do. She’ll probably just be sleeping, eating, and pooping for a while.”

“Pooping?” Allie asked with a giggle. 

“Yep!” Kara said, giggling too. “That’s kinda funny, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Allie said. 

“And since she’s not a big girl like you, she has to eat in a really special way. She can only drink milk. And it’s a really special milk, that only Mommy makes in her boobies.”

Allie giggled again. She was at an age where any mention of body parts or bodily functions was HILARIOUS to her. “She eats out of Mommy’s boobies?”

“Yep,” Kara said. She grabbed Baby (the doll) and held her up to her chest to mimic breastfeeding. “You’ll see Mommy with the baby up to her chest like this. Whenever she’s doing that, the baby’s eating. But we can also put some of Mommy’s milk in a bottle, and you can help me feed her.”

“I can?” Allie asked, eyes wide. 

“Mmmhmm,” Kara said. “You’ll be such a great helper when the baby comes.”

When Lena got home from work, she joined Kara in the kitchen, where she was making dinner.

“Did you talk with Allie about breastfeeding today?” she asked. 

“I mentioned it to her, why?” Kara said. 

“Because when I got in she had her shirt off and had the baby up to her chest, and she told me that she was feeding her baby with her boobies just like I was going to feed her baby sister with my boobies.”

“Oh, Rao,” Kara said with a laugh. “I didn’t know she really grasped it that well. At least it won’t be a shock when the baby comes?”

They also tried to prepare Allie for Lena having to go to the hospital when the baby arrived. 

“Your baby sister is still all nice and cozy in Mommy’s tummy,” Lena said. “But remember how me and Mama told you that she was going to come out soon?”

“Mmmhmm,” Allie responded.

“Well, when she comes, I have to go to the hospital and see some doctors, and Mama will be there with me. And the doctors are going to take care of me, and help me have the baby. The baby and I might need to stay in the hospital for a few days when she’s born to make sure we’re both healthy.”  
Lena saw Allie’s eyes widen.

“You sick?” Allie asked. She had learned by watching Sesame Street that sometimes you had to go to the hospital when you were sick or hurt.

“No, I’m not sick, and the baby isn’t sick. That’s just where we go to have babies so the doctors can take care of us.”

“Will I be at the hop-sital? Do I have to get shots?” Allie asked, worry clouding her voice.

“No, you won’t get any shots,” Lena reassured her. “You don’t have to stay at the hospital with me or the baby, either. You’ll go and stay with Aunt Alex, Aunt Jess, and Hannah. Aunt Alex will bring you to the hospital later so you can meet your sister. Nana will be here too, to help us with the baby.”

“Okay,” Allie said, her concern about the hospital seemingly dissipating. 

Not everything went smoothly about the transition, however. Two months before the baby was set to arrive, they transitioned Allie from her crib (which was being moved into the baby’s nursery) to a “big girl bed.” They let Allie pick out her bed (a beautiful mahogany sleigh bed) and all her sheets (Moana and Frozen, naturally). Allie seemed excited, but when it came time to actually sleep in her bed, Allie cried and cried. 

“But I thought you were excited about getting a big girl bed!” Kara said. 

“Noooooooooo,” Allie wailed. “I want my crib!” 

“Remember, we told you that the new baby needs the crib,” Kara said soothingly. She was on bedtime duty. “You’re a big girl and can sleep in a big girl bed.”

“Don’t want to be a big girl!” Allie cried “Don’t want a big girl bed!”

“Allie, you ARE a big girl,” Kara said. “You eat like a big girl, and talk like a big girl, and you can use the potty like a big girl. You need to sleep like a big girl, too. You’ve got everything you need. You have your Moana sheets, and a nice blanket, and Flopsy to cuddle with, and your nightlight. You’ll be okay.”

Allie kept crying. 

“Here,” Kara said. “Scoot over.” 

She climbed in bed with Allie and put her arms around her. Allie nuzzled into her shoulder, and her sobs quieted to little hiccups. 

“I know it’s new, and a little scary,” Kara said. “But you’re a big girl, and are ready for a big girl bed. I believe in you, and Mommy believes in you. Would you feel better if I stayed in here for a little while with you?”

“Uh huh,” Allie said. 

“Okay,” Kara said. She turned the light off and the nightlight on, and laid in bed with Allie for around 20 minutes, softly stroking her hair and humming until she felt her breathing slow and new she was asleep. Kara gently climbed out of bed and joined Lena in the living room, where she was quietly watching tv on the couch. 

“That was rough,” Kara whispered. “I almost guarantee you she’ll wake up in the middle of the night and will be in bed with us.”

“That’s ok if she is,” Lena said, rubbing her swollen belly. She was reaching the uncomfortable stage in her pregnancy, and was more than ready for the baby to come out. “She’s a smart kid, it won’t take too long for her to transition.”

Sure enough, Allie came in to Lena and Kara’s room at 2 am and wiggled her way in between them. She cried at bedtime the next four nights and climbed in bed with them all four nights, but by night five, she seemed to have gotten used to her bed. Kara or Lena would climb in bed with her to read stories while Allie softly sucked her thumb, and then they would sing two songs, give her a kiss, and turn out the light. 

One night, only a few weeks before the baby was due, Lena put Allie to bed. She climbed in bed with her, and opened her arms for Allie to snuggle in. It was a little tricky maneuvering around Lena’s belly, but Allie snuggled around it as close as she could. Lena pulled the covers around them to make their own little warm cocoon. Lena breathed in her daughter’s comforting scent for a few moments.

Lena puckered up her lips, and Allie leaned forward to kiss her. Lena rested their foreheads together. “I want you to remember that Mama and I love you so, so, so much. The new baby might need us to help her a little bit more than you do right now, but we will always love you. You’re our first baby.”

“Love you, too, Mommy,” Allie whispered.

Lena and Kara both knew that the transition from a family of three to a family of four wasn’t going to be easy. They knew that Allie might get sad, or angry, or act out. But they had done everything they knew to do to prepare her for the baby, and to let her know that they would always love her, no matter what. They knew that Allie was going to be a great big sister, and most importantly, that they would always, always, always love her and her sister, and do anything that they could to protect them and give them a wonderful life.


	34. Welcome to the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara welcome their second daughter into the world!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm home sick again from work today, and writing this chapter made me feel better. I actually had written most of it over three months ago! I've always known I wanted Kara and Lena to have two daughters. I hope that you all like the new addition, and that you like her name! I've had the name planned out for a while, too.

As soon as she woke up, Lena knew that she would be having a baby today. Just like with Allie, she went four days over her due date. She’d been having stronger and stronger contractions throughout the night, and was up on and off. She and Kara were able to get some sleep, but every time Lena woke up with a contraction, sweet, wonderful Kara would be up, too, rubbing Lena’s back, whispering soothing affirmations in her ear, holding her through each one. 

There was more commotion, but less panic, than when Allie had been born. Kara called Alex and Jess at 6 am, and Jess was at their house by 6:30. Jess helped Lena get together the last few items for her hospital bag, while Kara’s job for the morning was to wake Allie up. Allie was going to be spending the day with Alex and Jess, and was going to be spending the night in their apartment with Eliza. They wanted to make the transition as easy as possible on her. 

Kara softly padded into Allie’s room. She cut off Allie’s white noise machine, and quietly cut on the lamp that stood at Allie’s bedside table. For a few moments, she just stood and stared at her daughter. It struck her how big Allie was getting- after all, she was almost 2 and a half. She was completely potty trained, and only needed to wear pull-ups at night for any accidents she may have while she slept. She had gotten over his dislike of her bed, and slept in it all night without running to climb in bed with Kara and Lena. She was a friendly, funny, playful little girl, and Kara couldn’t be more thankful and proud that she got to be Allie Luthor-Danvers’s mom. 

Kara leaned forward to brush Allie’s hair out of her eyes and place a kiss on her forehead. Allie’s eyes fluttered open at the touch of Kara’s lips, and a sleepy smile stretched across her face. 

“’Morning, Mama,” she whispered sleepily. 

“Good morning, sweet girl,” Kara whispered back. 

Allie sat up and puckered up her lips. Kara gave her two quick kisses before picking her up and carrying her to the rocking chair in the corner of the room for morning snuggles. Allie ALWAYS got cuddles from her moms in the morning and at night, whether it was nestling in one of their laps in the rocking chair, or having one of them join her in bed for a few minutes. More than once, both Kara and Lena had walked in on the other fast asleep in Allie’s bed with her, arms wrapped around her lightly. 

Allie popped her thumb in her mouth, a last remnant of babyhood, as she nuzzled against Kara’s shoulder. 

It wasn’t lost on Kara that this was her last time with Allie as an only child. The next time she saw her, there would be another baby to have, to hold, and to love. But the baby would also be demanding of their attention. This was the last time that Allie was the only center of their world. Kara closed her eyes briefly and focused on the warm weight of her little girl on her lap, of the smell of her baby shampoo, the quiet sound of her gently sucking her thumb, the soft feel of her breath against her neck. She wanted to capture this moment forever. 

After a few minutes of rocking, Kara heard a soft tapping on the door. She glanced over and saw Lena in the doorframe, smiling at them. 

“You okay?” Kara asked.

“I’m fine,” Lena said. “I just wanted to check and see how my girls were doing.”

“Hi, Mommy,” Allie said, her voice slightly muffled around her thumb.

Lena smiled even bigger. “Hi, baby. Did you sleep good?”

“Uh-huh,” Allie answered, still seemingly half-asleep. 

Lena walked over to the chair so that she stood beside Allie, and reached her hand out so that she could smooth back her hair. Her bump had grown too large in the past month for her to comfortably hold Allie in her lap, so Lena usually snuggled with her in the bed. Allie reached out to hold Lena’s hand, and puckered her lips for Lena to kiss. Lena gave her three quick kisses and continued smoothing her hair back. When a contraction came on suddenly, Lena hissed in pain.

“You okay, Mommy?” Allie asked. 

“I’m okay sweet girl,” Lena said. “You remember how we told you that your baby sister was going to be coming soon?” 

“Uh huh,” Allie said, leaning against Kara’s shoulder as Lena stroked her hair. “She’ll cry a lot, and she can’t play right now.”

“She will cry a lot,” Lena said. “That’s because she’s not a big girl like you. She can’t talk to us and tell us what she wants, so that’s her way of telling us she’s hungry, or she needs a new diaper. And she won’t be able to play with you yet because she’s so little. But when she gets bigger she’ll want to play with you all the time. You’ll be best friends.”

“Best friends,” Allie repeated. 

“Well, I’m going to have the baby today,” Lena said. “Mama and I are going to the hospital, remember? And the doctors will take good care of us and you can come visit me and the baby later. Okay?”

“Okay,” Allie said, still clearly a bit sleepy. 

Lena hissed again from another contraction. 

Kara looked worried. “We probably need to head out soon.”

“Okay,” Lena said. She leaned forward to give Allie another kiss. “I love you so much, my sweet girl,” she whispered.

Kara helped Allie get dressed for the day and took her to use the bathroom while Lena and Jess made sure that everything was set for going to the hospital. 

Finally, they had done everything that they could do to get ready, and it was time to go to the hospital. Kara picked Allie up and gave her a kiss. “I love you so much, Alura,” she whispered in her ear. “You’ll always be our first baby.”

“Love you, too, Mama,” Allie said, reaching up to gently touch Kara’s face. 

Allie also got a kiss and an “I love you” from Lena. “Be good for Aunt Alex and Aunt Jess,” Kara said as she passed her off to Jess. “You’ll get to come meet your sister soon.” 

Allie wrapped her arms around Jess’s neck as Jess held her against her hip. They both waved goodbye as Kara and Lena walked out the door, on to the hospital and the next phase of their life as a family.

**  
Lena’s second labor was much faster than her first. Only two hours after arriving at the hospital, she was ready to push, and after only 20 minutes of pushing, the baby was ready to be delivered. 

Just like when Allie was born, Kara had stayed with Lena the whole time, helping her breathe through contractions, giving her reassurances about how strong she was, and letting her grip her hand when the pressure was too intense. 

“Okay, Lena,” Dr. Peltz (the same doctor who had delivered Allie) said. “One more push and she’s here.”

Kara leaned forward and gave off a watery laugh. “I can see her head, Lena! She’s got dark hair, like you and Allie! So much hair!” 

Lena grunted, giving her all to push her baby out. Even though she had an epidural, she could still feel the sensation of the baby coming out. The pressure was intense. She wavered for just a moment, but Kara was beside her the whole time, giving encouragements. “Come on, baby, you can do this. You’re so close to meeting her. Keep going. I know you can!”

A nurse draped a blanket on Lena’s chest, and she heard a nurse say, “Look in between your legs, Lena! Look at your baby!”

And suddenly, in an instant, their lives changed. 

Because there she was- their second daughter. 

She was immediately placed on Lena’s chest. Like her big sister, she was quiet at first, but when the nurses started rubbing her back and sucking fluid from her mouth, she started crying loudly. Lena and Kara were both crying. Lena had placed her hand on the baby’s tiny back, and Kara placed her hand on top of Lena’s while simultaneously stroking the baby’s hand with her finger. 

“Hi sweet girl! I love you!” Kara said through her tears. “Oh, Lena. She’s so beautiful!”

Lena had been placing gentle kisses on her daughter’s head, no matter that it was covered with blood and vernix (a cheeselike substance that often covered newborn babies at their birth), and whispering “I love you, I love you, I love you,” to her, while also trying to comfort her crying. She was so overwhelmed by the moment that she hadn’t even gotten a good look at her. Lena adjusted her a bit so that she could better see her face.

She had some of the same features as Allie. It was clear that this baby had also inherited Kara’s mouth, and she had the same full lips and chubby cheeks as her sister. But her nose, ears, and chin were Lena’s, and she looked to be bigger and longer than her sister had been. She had the same dark hair as her sister, but it appeared to be straight, like Lena’s, and not wavy like Allie and Kara’s. She had much more hair than Allie did when she was born, too. 

“I can’t believe she’s here,” Lena said, panting. “That was so fast.” 

“You’re a superhero,” Kara said, and Lena could tell by the awe in her voice that she meant every word. “You did so well.”

Kara cut the cord, just like she’d done when Allie was born, and cried all the while as she did it. 

Lena kept stroking the baby’s back. “I forgot how tiny newborns are,” she said. “I think she’s bigger than Allie, though.”

“I think so, too,” Kara said. “Maybe 8 pounds?” 

A nurse interrupted their talk. “Ok, Lena, we need you to deliver the placenta now. Can we take her to get checked up, and then bring her back for skin-to-skin?”

“Yes,” Lena said, bending down to give the baby one more kiss. “Can you go with her, Kara?”

“Of course,” Kara said, bending down to give Lena a kiss on the lips. “I love you so much. I love her so much. I’m so proud of you both.”

“I love you, too,” Lena said, feeling her heart tug as the nurse took the baby from her arms. 

Kara followed the nurse to watch them clean and measure the baby. 

“8 pounds, 1 once!” The nurse called out. 

“WOW!” Kara said with a laugh. “She’s bigger than her sister!” 

The new baby was bigger than her sister in most ways- an inch longer, had a bigger head (prompting Lena to remark that THAT must have been what she felt when the baby was coming out!) and bigger feet. Allie’s growth charts at the doctor’s predicted her to be around Lena’s height when she was fully grown (5’5 or 5’6), but Kara wondered if this baby might someday be closer to her height of 5’8 or 5’9. 

Kara held her hand and whispered to her how much she loved her, how excited she was to meet her, and how she couldn’t wait for her to meet her big sister, who she would love so much and who already loved her. As Kara spoke to her, the baby’s cries quieted to soft little huffs. She opened her eyes to look at her mother, and, just like with Allie, it was an instant connection. She’s mine, and I’m hers, Kara thought. Kara had brought her phone and took a few close-up pictures of the baby’s face to send to their family and friends. 

The nurse washed her off, put a little cap with a sweet bow on it on her head, and put a diaper on her. She then carried her over to Lena, who had delivered the placenta. Her gown had been opened, and they placed the baby directly on her chest for some skin-to-skin time. 

Kara took a few pictures of them with her phone before pulling a chair up beside them and just watching, taking in the sight of her wife and newborn daughter together. 

The new little family spent a few hours together, just the three of them. Lena and the baby were able to get a little sleep, and Lena was able to feed her for the first time.

“I forgot how much it hurts as they’re still learning to latch,” Lena grumbled, trying to position her breast in a better position in the baby’s mouth. “It’s like you’ve got a clamp on your nipple.”

Kara rubbed her arm. “I know. She’ll get it, though. You nursed Allie for 17 months, you’re pretty much a pro.” 

Lena smiled. “I know. At least I know what I’m doing this time. I’m hoping the recovery will be a little easier, too. I didn’t have any tearing, so I don’t have any stitches down there.”

“That’s a relief,” Kara said with a smile, remembering how painful the first few days postpartum were for Lena after she’d had Allie. 

After the baby was fed, Kara took off her shirt and bra and did some skin-to-skin time of her own with the baby. The feeling of her tiny, warm daughter against her skin for the first time was something that Kara would never forget. The instant connection and love that she felt for her baby was one of the best feelings that Kara had ever experienced. She whispered to her in Kryptonian, and in English, and sang her all the lullabies that she knew. Soon, the baby was fast asleep again. 

Kara had texted Alex, Jess, and Eliza to let them know that the baby was there. Eliza was going to help them adjust to a new baby, to cook dinner and run errands, and to take Allie back and forth to daycare while she stayed with them. 

At 3:00, Alex and Eliza brought Allie to meet her new sister. Kara and Lena had originally wanted Allie to meet her the next day, but both of them were already missing her immensely, so they asked Alex if she could bring her when they came. Jess was going to wait to bring Hannah to meet the baby when they brought her home, so as to cause the least amount of stress and chaos for Lena and the baby as possible. 

When they heard the knock on the door, Lena was in the bed in a silky robe that felt much more comfortable than the stiff hospital gown. Kara was in the chair beside the bed, and the baby was swaddled tightly in a blanket and asleep in the bassinet next to Lena. 

Kara excitedly jumped out of the chair and walked over to the door. Alex was carrying Allie, and Eliza was holding a bag of things that Kara had asked them to get from home. Alex has dressed Allie in a “Big Sister” shirt that Lena had bought for her on Etsy. 

“Hi, Allie!” Kara said. She held her hands out, and Allie reached out for her mother. Kara picked her up and gave her a kiss. Allie buried her head in Kara’s neck, and Kara’s rubbed her back.

“How’s she been?” she asked Alex.

“A little angel,” Alex said with a smile. “She fell asleep in the car on the way over, so she might still be a little sleepy. She’s been asking about her sister. I showed her the picture of her.”

Kara gave Allie another kiss. “Do you wanna go see Mommy and meet your baby sister?”

Allie removed her head from Kara’s neck. “Can I?”

“Yeah!” Kara said. She carried Allie over to Lena’s bed. 

“Hi, sweet girl,” Lena said with a smile. Kara gently settled Allie on the bed beside Lena. Lena placed her arm around Allie. “I’m a little sore, so you can’t sit on my lap right now, but you can lay your head on my shoulder so we can cuddle.” Allie leaned against Lena’s shoulder, and Lena placed a kiss on her head. 

Alex and Eliza came into the room, and both let off little “Awws” when they peered into the bassinet and saw the baby. Kara walked over and picked the baby up from the bassinet. She was wrapped in a swaddling blanket with pink and grey birds on it, and had a little pink hat on her head. She made a squeak of protest at being picked up (“Such a Luthor already,” Lena laughed), but otherwise stayed asleep. 

Kara brought the baby over to where Allie was on the bed, and knelt beside her. “This is your baby sister,” she said softly. “She loves you very much.”

“That’s my baby?” Allie asked quietly. Kara’s heart tugged when Allie called her “my baby.”

“Yep,” Kara said. “Remember, in Mommy’s tummy? She’s not there any more; she’s here with us. We get to keep her and take her home with us. Do you want to say hi to her?”

“Hi, Baby,” Allie said. 

“You can give her a kiss on her head,” Lena said. She pointed at a spot on the baby’s forehead. Allie leaned in and gave the baby a kiss. The baby squeaked at the contact. 

“You’re such a good big sister already,” Kara said. “See? She loves you so much. Do you love her, too?”

Allie nodded. 

“Can you say, ‘I love you’ to her?” Kara asked.

“Love you, Baby,” Allie said, and kissed her again, then nuzzled against the baby’s head. Kara’s heart melted, and so did Lena’s. Lena gave Allie another kiss, too. 

Kara turned to Alex and Eliza. Alex was smiling widely, and Eliza had tears in her eyes. “Do you all want to come meet her, too?”

They both came over. 

“She’s so beautiful,” Eliza said. “She looks like Lena, I think.”

“Doesn’t she?” Kara said happily. “And she’s got so much hair, too, just wait until you see it. She’s bigger than Allie was.”

Alex reached out to rub the baby’s hand. “So, are you going to tell us her name?”

Kara and Lena smiled at each other. They had picked out the baby’s name early on, but unlike with Allie’s name, had wanted it to be a surprise to their friends and family. Both names were as special to them as the little girl they belonged to, and they wanted the reveal to be special, too. 

Kara looked back at Alex and Eliza. “Allie, Eliza, and Alex, we are so proud for you to meet Elizabeth Kieran Luthor-Danvers.”

Eliza, of course, started to cry. Elizabeth was her given name; Eliza was just a nickname. “You named her after me?”

“Of course,” Lena said. “We couldn’t think of a better namesake for her.”

“And Kieran is Lena’s middle name, right?” Alex asked, wiping away tears of her own. 

“Yes,” Lena said. “I don’t know where it came from, but I do know that my mother picked it. My REAL mother. We thought it was a way to remember her, too.” 

Kara turned to Allie. “Your sister’s name is Elizabeth. Can you say Elizabeth?”

Allie’s brow furrowed. “E-lily-beth?”

“Close,” Kara said with a smile. “E-LIZ-a-beth.”

“E-lily-beth,” Allie said again, struggling to get her mouth around the complex sounds of the name.

“Hey…” Kara said suddenly. “Lily.”

“What are you talking about?” Alex asked. 

“We haven’t decided if we wanted to call her Elizabeth or to go by a shortened version.” Neither Kara nor Lena liked Lizzy or Beth, the two most common nicknames for Elizabeth, and Kara loved Ellie, but Lena thought that “Allie and Ellie” would be too cheesy. Lena was voting to just call her “Elizabeth,” but Kara loved the idea of giving her a nickname, just like Allie was short for Alura. “But Allie just gave me an idea- what if we called her Lily?”

“Lily,” Lena said quietly. “Oh, Kara, I love it! It feels right.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Kara said, a smile stretched wide across her face. She gazed down at the baby. “What do you think? Are you a Lily?” The baby let out a squeaky yawn. All of the adults laughed. “I think that’s a yes!” Kara said. “Lily it is.”

“Did you hear that, Allie?” Kara asked. “We’re going to be calling the baby Lily.”

“Lily,” Allie said, almost as if trying it out. She nodded. “I like Lily.” 

“I like Lily, too,” Kara said. She gave Allie a kiss on her head. “Do you want to hold her?” she asked Allie. 

“Uh-huh,” Allie said. 

Lena propped some pillows around Allie to give her some extra support. “Hold your hands out like this,” Lena said, mimicking how Allie should hold her hands. 

Allie held out her hands, and Kara very gently placed Lily in her arms. Lena put a hand behind Lily’s neck to give her some extra support, and Kara had her arms wrapped around Allie’s shoulders, but Allie was, for the most holding the baby by herself. She leaned forward to give Lily a kiss on the cheek, and to tell her again that she loved her. 

For a few minutes the new little family was in their own bubble of happiness. Allie pointed out Lily’s eyes, nose, mouth, and ears (although Kara did have to gently take her hand and remind her “No poking!”). Alex took out her phone and took several pictures and a video of them. They were the first pictures of them as a family of four, and Kara and Lena would both treasure them. 

Alex and Eliza both got their turns at holding the baby, too. As they held her, Kara was able to text a few pictures of the baby to their loved ones: J’onn, Winn, James, Sam, Brainy, Nia, and even Cat Grant. 

The message read, “Welcome to the world, Elizabeth Kieran Luthor-Danvers! Born at 11:05 a.m. 8 pounds, 1 oz., 21 inches long. We’re calling her Lily.” The congratulations started rolling in instantly. J’onn and James both proclaimed the baby to be “absolutely beautiful,” Sam said that she had bought a plane ticket to National City in three weeks to come visit, Brainy said that she was “a fine specimen,” Nia thought that she was extra cute, and Winn simply called and sobbed his congratulations into the phone. Cat Grant even sent a congratulatory text but reminded Kara that her three months of maternity leave had already begun. 

“I think she’s going to look like Lena,” Alex said as she gazed down at the sleeping baby in her arms. 

Kara was holding Allie in her lap as they played with a small stuffed bear that Kara had bought for Allie in the hospital gift shop and told her was a gift to her from Lily. They also had a gift “from Lily” to give Allie when they brought the baby home- a new wooden “tree house” and a family of hand-carved wooden dolls that they knew she would love. 

“I think so, too,” Kara said. Allie was a fairly good mix of both of them, but she favored Kara more, with her bright blue eyes and facial structure. “I hope she gets Lena’s eyes. That way we’ll have one blue-eyed girl and one green-eyed girl. A perfect set.”

“She’s got your mouth though,” Alex said. “It’s going to be dangerous having two daughters AND a wife with the famous Kara Danvers pout. I feel sorry for you, Lena.”

Lena laughed. “I’ve built up a tolerance to it over the past few years, but they still get me from time to time!” 

When Allie was born, Kara had apologized to everyone she knew for the lethality of her pout, because it was pretty much impossible for her to resist. 

Lily started squirming in Alex’s arms, and then woke up and began to cry. 

Allie sat up in Kara’s lap. “Is my baby sissy okay?”

“She’s okay,” Lena reassured her as Alex handed Lily over to her. “She can’t talk yet, and crying is her way of telling us that she needs something. Right now I think she wants to eat.”

“Ohhhhhhh,” Allie said. “She drinks milk from your boobies?”

 

All of the adults started laughing at that. 

“Yes,” Lena said as she undid her robe, took Lily out of the swaddle, and helped her to latch on. “It’s called breastfeeding. I fed you like that when you were a baby, too. When she gets a little bit bigger she can drink my milk out of a bottle, and you can help feed her. Would you like that?”

“Uh huh,” Allie said, peering at her mother and sister as Lena fed her. 

Lily nursed for a few minutes before Lena took her off to burp her. She explained what she was doing to Allie, who was very curious. Lena switched Lily to the other breast for a few minutes before burping her again. Allie was very curious to see the baby now that she was outside of the swaddle. Kara placed Allie on the bed next to Lena and Lily. 

“You can hold her hand if you want,” Lena said. Allie gently grabbed Lily’s hand and rubbed it. 

“She’s soft,” Allie said. 

“She’s very soft because she’s brand new,” Lena said. 

Allie gave Lily another kiss on the head. She seemed to love her little sister so far, which was a good sign. 

A wet, gurgling sound suddenly came from the baby. 

Allie looked at Lena with a shocked expression. 

“What’s that?”

Lena looked at Allie and laughed gently. “I think that Lily just pooped.”

Allie started giggling too. “She pooped? That’s yucky!”

“She’s not a big girl like you. She can’t control it yet,” Kara said. “That means we have to change her diaper. Do you want to watch me do it?”

“Uh-huh,” Allie said. She watched as Kara took Lily over to the changing table and cleaned her up, but gave off an adamant “Yuck!” when she saw the mess in the baby’s diaper and immediately went to bury her head in Eliza’s shoulder. Everyone laughed at her reaction, with Kara adding “I wish I could just go run to Eliza whenever the baby needs to be changed!” 

After about an hour of visiting, Alex declared that they should probably head out. 

“Is Lily coming, too?” Allie asked. 

“No, she needs to stay here for a little bit longer. She’ll probably come home tomorrow,” Kara said. 

“Nooooooooooo,” Allie wailed, and Kara could feel a tantrum coming on. She picked Allie up and cuddled her close, saying “Shhhhhhhhhhh,” softly to calm her down. 

“I want her to come with me now,” Allie pouted. 

“I know you do, sweet girl,” Kara said. “But Lily and Mommy need to stay here a little while longer so that their doctors can take care of them. They’ll be coming home really, really soon, I promise. But until then, we need you to be a good, big girl and go home with Nana and Aunt Alex. Okay?”

“Okay,” Allie conceded, still sounding slightly put out, but a full-fledged tantrum had luckily been avoided. Kara gave Allie a kiss, then transferred her to Eliza’s arms. 

“Nana will be staying at home with you tonight, and hopefully we’ll be able to bring Lily home with us tomorrow.”

Allie nodded. 

Kara gave her a kiss again. “I love you so much, Allie.”

“Love you too, Mama,” Allie said.

Eliza brought Allie over to the bed so that Lena could kiss her as well. “I love you, sweetheart,” Lena said as she gave Allie a kiss. 

“Love you, Mommy,” Allie responded. 

“Lily loves you, too,” Lena said, pointing to the baby, who was now fast asleep in her arms. 

“Love my Lily,” Allie said, and Eliza guided her to give the baby a kiss on the cheek. 

Allie waved to Lena and Kara as she, Alex, and Eliza left, and Lena and Kara both blew her a kiss as they waved goodbye. 

Kara settled back in the chair with a sigh. “I miss her already.”

“Me, too,” Lena said. “But we’ll all be reunited soon enough.”

“I know,” Kara said. “I can’t believe we have two daughters now.”

“Me, either,” Lena said, running her thumb over Lily’s soft eyebrows. She smiled when Lily puckered up her face at the touch. “Two beautiful, perfect girls. I love them so much. I love you so much. I’m so in awe of this wonderful little family we’ve built together. I can’t wait to see where life takes us.”


	35. A Family of More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fluffy moment in bed with both of their girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I am seriously really sick. But you guys are benefitting from my pain because writing fluffy fics makes me feel better.

It would be a lie if Lena had said that she hadn’t been worrying about the transition from a family of three to a family of four. Not just for Allie’s sake, but for hers, as well. How could she love another child as much as she loved Allie? Would a new baby mean that she would love Allie any less? 

But as she gazed down at her week-old daughter asleep in her arms, she realized that her fears could not have been more wrong. Loving Lily didn’t mean that she was taking any of her love away from Allie, or that Lily was short-shifted by Lena’s original love for Allie. Lena instead found that the room in her heart instantly doubled. She didn’t love Allie any less because she had a new daughter; in fact, her love for Allie only grew as she saw how fiercely Allie already loved and protected her little sister. Allie LOVED helping take care of the baby in the little ways that she was able: fetching diapers or burp cloths, helping give her a bath, patting her leg and saying, “ ‘S’okay, Lily,” when she cried. 

She also found that she loved Lily instantly, and that her love for her only grew and grew as she got to know the new little person that she and Kara had created together. Allie hadn’t been a particularly difficult newborn, but she could be fussy, and Lena found that she didn’t really have the famous “sleepy newborn” period the first few weeks of life. Lily, however, was an extremely laid-back baby. She really only cried when she needed to be changed or fed, and spent the vast majority of her time fast asleep. She loved to be held and cuddled, but was also content to sleep in her Mamaroo or the co-sleeping bassinet that was attached to Lena’s side of the bed for easy access for late-night feedings. She was a great eater, and had already surpassed her birth weight by the time she was a week old. She didn’t even seem to mind being poked and prodded by an extremely curious big sister (although Kara and Lena made sure that Allie generally left her alone when she was sleeping and didn’t bother her too much). 

It wasn’t quite 6:30 in the morning, and the sun was just filtering in from behind the blinds in their bedroom. It was one of Lena’s favorite times of day; Kara was still fast asleep next to her, and Allie was still tucked into bed in her room. Lena and Lily were the only ones who were up. Lena had just finished feeding the baby, and Lily was still awake, her unfocused eyes gazing around the room. Her head was nestled comfortably against Lena’s chest, and her tiny hand was gripping Lena’s finger. Every once in a while Lena would bring the little hand to her mouth to kiss it, and she was gently stroking Lily’s dark hair. It was very clear that, except for Kara’s mouth, Lily was exactly Lena in miniature. They had the same eyes, eyebrows, nose, ears, and facial structure, and although her eyes were still the cloudy blue-grey that most babies had, both Lena and Kara thought they were probably going to turn green. 

“You’re so special,” Lena whispered to her. “You’re my special, loved little girl.” Lily let out a squeaky yawn in response, which Lena took as a sign that Lily understood the words her mother was saying to her. 

Lena could hear Allie’s door opening, and then the pitter-patter of little feet coming down the hall. Their bedroom door cracked open, and Allie peeked her head in. 

“Hi, Allie,” Lena whispered. “What are you doing up?”

“The sun is up, so I’m up,” Allie said simply. She made her way over to the bed. “Is Lily up?”

“Yep,” Lena whispered. She transferred Lily to one arm, ignoring the squeak of protest from the baby, as she helped Allie up onto the bed with her other arm. She wrapped it around Allie as Allie snuggled in to her shoulder. She kissed Allie’s head, and breathed in the sweet smell of her daughter. Each of her daughters had their own unique scent, and Lena loved them both. She wished she could bottle it up and take it everywhere with her. She loved the way Allie looked in the morning, still soft and sleepy: sleep-mussed curls, so much like Kara’s in the morning, and red face streaked with marks from her pillow and blanket. Lena gently cleaned the sleep crust from the corner of Allie’s eyes. 

Allie, however, was much more intent on looking at Lily. 

“Hi, Lily,” she whispered. “You miss me last night? I missed you.”

“She did,” Lena whispered back. “She told me so.”

“That’s silly, Mommy,” Allie said quietly. “She can’t talk. She’s a baby.”

Lena had to laugh at her daughter’s deduction skills. “Well, even if she couldn’t say it, I could tell that she misses you. She loves you very much.”

“Lily’s my bestest friend,” Allie said. She leaned forward a little too aggressively to give Lily a kiss. Lily gave out a little cry in protest.

“Gentle, gentle,” Lena said, trying to keep Allie from going completely on top of the baby.

“Sorry,” Allie whispered. 

Kara, woken up by the commotion next to her, let out a groan. “What are you three girls doing up so early?”

“The sun woke me up and I missed Lily,” Allie said. 

“Awwwwwwww,” Kara said. 

Allie had dealt with the transition much better than they thought she would. She hadn’t had any regressions into more infantile behaviors, and didn’t even seem to be terribly jealous yet (although that may change once Lily was more mobile and was more interested in things like Allie’s toys). Allie did have a couple of meltdowns earlier in the week when Eliza was putting her to bed instead of Kara or Lena, or when she wanted Lena to go to the park with her but Lena had to stay home so she could feed the baby. Nursing the baby was a hard, full-time job, but Lena was trying to schedule breaks when Lily was asleep to spend time with Allie. Two days before, Kara and Eliza had stayed home with Lily so that Allie and Lena could go for a 30-minute walk around the block, and the day before, when Kara took Eliza to the airport and Lily was asleep, Lena and Allie had read a few books and colored together. Kara was also giving Allie lots of extra time and attention: bathing her and putting her to bed, reading to her, playing with her, and continuing to take her to swimming lessons and storytime at the library, so that her life would be as uninterrupted as possible. 

Allie gave Lily a few more kisses and spent a few minutes playing with her feet (with a few warnings from Lena to “be gentle”). She then climbed over Lena’s legs to get to Kara. 

“I want to be in a Mama sandwich,” Allie said. 

“Mama sandwich” was what they called it when Allie climbed in between Lena and Kara in bed and they both hugged her tightly and gave her lots of kisses. 

Kara laughed. “I think we can make a Mama sandwich.”

“Lily too?”

“Lily too,” Lena said, arranging Lily so that she was propped up on the pillow next to Allie. Kara settled herself at Allie’s back, wrapping her arms around her older daughter and settling her hands on Allie’s stomach. Allie put one thumb in her mouth and held on to Lily’s hand with her other hand, and Lily grasped Allie’s finger tightly. Lena wrapped her arms around both of her daughters. After a few minutes, both Allie and Lily were fast asleep. 

“I can’t believe this is my life now,” Kara whispered, gently stroking her fingers through Allie’s hair. “I have a family. I have a wife and two daughters.”

“I never thought I would have this,” Lena whispered back. “I love you three girls more than I ever thought I could love anyone.” 

“We should go get a new tattoo soon,” Kara said. “Another circle. For Lily.”

“We should,” Lena agreed. She could hardly remember the person she was when she got the lone circle tattooed on her hip. She had so many people who loved her now- Kara, and their daughters, but also her chosen family made up of Kara’s family and the friends that she loved so much. They were a family of four now, but they were so much more than that. 

“A family of more,” Lena muttered. 

“What?” Kara said. 

“I was just thinking… we’re a family of four, but I have so many other people who I consider to be my family. So we’re not just a family of four, but a family of MORE.”

Kara giggled. “That makes no sense… but I like it.”

“I like it, too,” Lena said with a smile. She stroked Lily’s hair back from her forehead. She knew that, with her family of MORE behind her, she never had to be alone again, and that was the most comforting feeling in the world.


	36. Pictures of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara's hobby is photography, and Lena is her favorite subject.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally starting to feel better, so it's back to life as normal next week. But I hope you enjoy this little fluffy chapter. Also let me know some prompts you all would like to see with our new little family! I thought a future chapter of the family when Allie and Lily are grown up might be fun.

When Kara was 13, shortly after she’d moved in with the Danvers, Jeremiah had given her a camera. It was a simple camera, an old Polaroid that he’d owned since college that had been collecting dust in the attic for years. 

“What’s this for?” Kara had asked suspiciously. Earth was still very new to her- all of the loud noises, strange smells, and vivid sights that were invading her hypersensitive senses on a daily basis kept her on edge all the time. She was still recovering from her time in the Phantom Zone, but mostly she just missed Krypton. She missed her parents, and her friends. Her home. 

“It’s a camera. You take pictures with it,” Jeremiah said. “You press this button, and a picture pops out. Here, look- smile!” Kara gave him a slight smile, and he pressed a button with a loud “click.” A little grey paper popped out. “See? The picture is developing.” Kara was amazed as she saw the grey splotch transform into an image of her- long blonde hair, glasses, slightly forced smile.

“Wow,” Kara said simply. 

“I thought it might help you as you’re getting adjusted,” Jeremiah said. “If you see something that you have a question about, you can take a picture of it and we can talk about it at dinner. Or if you see something that you think is funny, or unique, or just beautiful. You can put it here, in this album.” He pulled out an empty photo album that he’d also found in the attic. “It has space for you to write under the photo, so you’ll know what the picture is of, or how you were feeling when you took it.”

“Thanks,” Kara said, taking the camera in her hands and gently looking it over. 

Over the course of the next few weeks, Kara took hundreds of pictures: leaves that were changing colors as summer turned into fall; friendly neighborhood cats who greeted her when she got home from school; Jeremiah and Eliza smiling at the dinner table; Alex giving her the middle finger when she asked to take her picture when she was trying to do homework. Kara found that she loved capturing the small moments that she encountered every day. And Jeremiah was right- it DID help her adjust to her new life on a new planet. Wherever she went, her camera went. She soon filled up multiple photo albums with the pictures that she had taken.

As Kara got older, she graduated to better cameras- a proper digital camera in high school and college, and then, once she had become a real reporter for CatCo, a Nikon D7200 that she could take real high-quality photos with. She edited her photos on the computer, but still printed them out and added them to her collection of photo albums, each with a personally inscribed caption. She also took many pictures with her iPhone when she saw something that she just had to capture but didn’t have her camera handy.

The things she photographed didn’t change too much over the years. She still loved capturing the leaves in autumn, and any animals that she happened to run into on her walk to work. There were countless pictures of Alex (many of which she was still flipping Kara off, but in a good-humored way), along with Winn, James, J’onn, Brainy, Nia, Jess, Hannah, Eliza, and so many others who made Kara’s life worthwhile and abundant. 

And then came Lena. 

Kara remembered the first photo that she ever took of Lena. It was long before they had gotten together, before Lena knew that Kara was Supergirl. Lena had come over for a girls’ night with Alex and Maggie, but had arrived early. She had sat down on Kara’s couch and looked out over the city, and the way the setting sun caught in her hair was PERFECT.

“Don’t move,” Kara said. “Stay right there.”

“What on Earth are you doing?” Lena asked with a laugh, although, to her credit, she didn’t move. 

Kara had grabbed her camera and took a few shots. “Wow, these are perfect.” She moved over to the couch to show Lena. 

“I didn’t know you were into photography,” Lena said, amazed at the quality of the shots Kara had taken. “You really have an eye for it.”

“Oh, it’s just a hobby,” Kara said, brushing off the compliment. “I’m not like James or anything. Not really talented, it’s just for fun.”

“It may be a hobby, but you’re very talented,” Lena said seriously. “These are wonderful photographs. I’m not even that photogenic.”

“You’re very photogenic,” Kara said firmly. She thought that Lena was gorgeous, but was too shy to tell her. “I could give you a copy, if you want.”

“I’d love that,” Lena said genuinely. “Do you print all the pictures you take?” 

“Yeah,” Kara said. She grabbed her latest album and showed Lena. Lena flipped through it slowly. 

“This is really amazing, Kara. You’ve captured so much of your life. How long have you been into photography?”

“Since I was 13,” Kara said. “My foster dad, Jeremiah, got me a camera. He thought it might help me adjust to the new surroundings. It helped a lot.”

“Mmmm,” Lena said simply, still in awe of the photographs Kara had taken. “Well, I hope to feature more in this album soon.”

“Oh, you will,” Kara said. “You definitely will.”

And Lena did. As their friendship grew into more, Lena was the primary subject of Kara’s photographs. There were so many pictures of Lena that it was hard to keep them all straight: Lena winking wickedly after seductively slurping an oyster (and commenting to Kara that there would be more where that came from for her in bed that night); Lena laughing raucously with Winn and James; Lena and Nia chatting conspiratorially about Nia’s first date with Brainy; Lena grinning happily with Machu Pichu in the foreground after an exhausting hike. 

But there were some pictures of Lena that were for Kara’s eyes only, and these were Kara’s favorites. 

A picture of Lena from the back, still only half-dressed, with her dress still unzipped and her bra showing, putting in an earring while staring out the window. Lena, sprawled out fast asleep in bed after a wonderful night of lovemaking. Lena, wearing nothing but Supergirl’s cape as she scrawled through emails on her phone. A picture of Lena, gloriously naked, right after they’d decided to try for a baby, because Lena wanted a picture of herself where her breasts were still perky and her stomach unblemished. A picture of Lena, 9 months pregnant with Allie, stark naked and cradling her baby bump with an expression filled with so much love and wonder that it almost made Kara’s heart hurt in the best way possible whenever she looked at it.

Then came Kara’s other favorite subjects: Allie and Lily. Kara had taken pictures of them from the moment they came into the world, with her phone and with her camera. 

There was a picture of Lena cradling Allie, only two weeks old, after a rough day of clusterfeeding where Allie had demanded to nurse constantly. Lena was shirtless and her face was exhausted, but the expression that she wore as she gazed down at her suckling daughter showed that the pain and exhaustion was all worth it. There was a picture of Allie in the park, laughing wildly as James pushed her in a swing. There was a picture of Allie at her second birthday, chocolate cake smeared all over her face, an expression of pure joy. There was a picture of Allie and Lily, wearing matching “Big Sister” and “Little Sister” outfits a few days after she had come home, Lily cradled in Allie’s arms on the couch as Allie gave her a kiss. 

And then there was Kara’s most recent favorite. Lily was six weeks old, and Lena had put Allie and Lily into the bathtub with her. Allie was nestled against Lena’s side, her head resting on Lena’s chest, and Lily was propped up on Lena’s bent legs. Allie and Lena both wore expressions of pure joy as they gazed at the baby and tried to make her smile. Lily had just started smiling, and it was a family game to see who could make her smile. Allie was the best at it, of course. Kara captured the picture, and then smiled widely at her wife and two daughters. 

Lena looked up at her and laughed. “Okay Ms. Photographer, time to put the camera down and get into this tub with your girls.”

Kara laughed as she set the camera on the toilet, stripped off her clothes, and climbed into the bathtub. Allie giggled as she made her way over to cuddle in to Kara. 

“Hi Mama,” she said sweetly. 

“Hi sweetheart,” Kara said as she gave Allie a kiss. 

“You take good pictures of us?” 

“I took great pictures of you. You and Mommy and Lily are my favorite people to photograph.” 

“Can I learn to take pictures, too?” Allie asked. 

Kara smiled. “You really want to?” 

“Uh-huh.” 

“I think we can make that happen.”

The next day, as Allie was eating lunch, Kara brought something to her. 

“What’s that?” 

“It’s a camera,” Kara said. It was the old Polaroid that Jeremiah had given Kara all those years before. “You press this button, and a picture pops out. Isn’t that cool?”

“Yeah!” Allie said excitedly. 

“Here- smile!” Kara said. Allie gave her a big smile, and Kara pulled out the picture to show Allie. 

“That not a picture,” Allie said, disappointed. 

“Just watch!” Kara said, as the picture started to develop. 

“WOW!” Allie said in amazement as the picture of her appeared. 

“Isn’t that so cool?” Kara asked. Allie nodded enthusiastically. “Me and Mommy will probably need to help you take pictures for a while, but when you get bigger you can do it all by yourself.”

“Can I take a picture of Lily?” Allie asked. She pointed over to the couch, where Lena was nursing the baby. 

“Sure!” Kara said. She and Allie walked over to the couch, where Lena smiled at them as Kara helped Allie position the camera and click the button. 

“See?” she said as the image appeared. “It’s Mommy and Lily!”

“Woooooooow,” Allie said again, completely enthralled. 

She spent the rest of the afternoon taking pictures of Lena, Kara, and Allie, excitedly showing them off. Most of them were blurry, but some were actually quite good. Kara even got her a photo album of her own.

“Do we have a budding photographer on our hands?” Lena asked as they lay in bed that night. 

“Her first hobby,” Kara said with a smile. “It’s so cute.”

“I’m glad we have so many pictures,” Lena said. “Not just of the girls, but of our relationship. You’ve really captured it all.”

“When I first got to Earth, photography was one of the few things that kept me going,” Kara said. “It grounded me, helped me learn about my surroundings. And now it still grounds me. It helps me capture what’s in front of me, so I can keep it forever.” She leaned in to kiss Lena. “But sometimes it’s nice to just live in the moment and REALLY take in what’s in front of me.”

Lena smiled. “I’m so lucky that I get to live in the moment with you.”


	37. Date Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena have a date night just to themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A guest suggested on the last chapter that I do a chapter of a date night for our favorite couple, so here it is!

Kara and Lena would both agree that tied with being married to the other, motherhood was, without a doubt, the best part of their lives. Sure, motherhood was HARD. It was having to try to calm down an overtired toddler who was having a meltdown in Target because Lena told her she didn’t need a stuffed Elsa from Frozen. It was Kara having to scrub her favorite shirt, praying to Rao and any other god that was listening for the large poop stain to come out after Lily had a massive diaper blowout while Kara was snuggling with her on the couch. It was having to sleep half the night in a cramped toddler bed for a week because Allie refused to sleep alone due to the fact that she was suddenly was convinced that monsters were going to eat her in the middle of the night. It was Lena having to walk around shirtless with a fussy baby attached to her breast for four hours because nursing and moving around was the only thing that calmed her typically easy baby. 

But motherhood was also full of the sweetest moments they had ever experienced. It was Lena’s heart melting when Lily gave her a sweet, gummy smile as she nursed her in bed at 4 am, making the early morning wakeup call more than worth it. It was Kara and Allie playing “Supergirl” together and pretending to fly around the room and save Lena and Lily from aliens attacking the city, Allie having no idea that the real Supergirl was beside her the whole time. It was lazy Saturday mornings in bed, with Allie fast asleep on top of Lena’s chest while Kara held Lily and cooed at her and got a sweet, gummy smile of her own. It was Allie running up to Lena after her first day back and work and saying “Mommy! You’re HOME! I missed you!” and giving her the best hug and kiss in the world. It was cuddling on the couch after dinner and watching as Allie made funny noises for Lily, and seeing the thrill on her face when Lena told her that the gasping noises coming from the baby were actually giggles, and she realized that she’d made Lily laugh for the first time. 

But as wonderful as motherhood was, it also meant that Kara and Lena’s relationship was sometimes put on the back burner. They didn’t intend for it to happen that way; but between an overly active toddler, a new baby who still slept in their room with them, and work commitments for both, there hadn’t been the intense physical and romantic relationship that they’d enjoyed when they were dating or in the early days of their marriage. Both of them were just as much attracted to each other and in love with the other as they’d always been- even more now, in fact- but it was hard for them to find the time and the privacy to express their love and attraction. 

“I haven’t had sex in three months,” Kara told Alex glumly over lunch one day. Lena was back at work at L Corp, and the girls were staying with a babysitter so that Kara could have a few hours off of mom duty. “It was easier when it was just Allie. We could fit it in when she was taking a nap, and then when she went to sleep in her own room. But Allie and Lily’s nap schedules aren’t lined up yet, and Lily’s still in the room with us at night, and Allie hasn’t been sleeping great and ends up in bed with us half the time anyway…” Kara sighed. “It’s been rough.”

Alex raised her eyebrows. “So you haven’t done ANYTHING in three months?”

“No,” Kara said with another sigh. “We tried when Lena was in the shower the other morning, but shower sex sucks.”

“Seriously,” Alex said in agreement. 

“Neither of us was able to finish.” Kara put her head in her hands. “I’m not just being a horndog, am I? Like, these are completely normal feelings?”

“You are absolutely normal,” Alex said. She and Kara had gotten much more comfortable discussing sex with each other over the years. “You two just need to make some steps to prioritize your relationship.”

“Like what?” Kara asked. 

“First off, you need to make your room a priority for the two of you. Let Lily sleep in her crib in the nursery for a few hours, and do it at a time when you know Allie won’t try to come in. What time does she typically come in?”

“Around 3 or 4,” Kara said. 

“Easy,” Alex said. “Put Allie to bed, put Lily in her own room, lock the door and get it on. Then you can change the sheets, take a shower, bring the baby back in the room, and if Allie needs to come in with you at 3, she can.”

“Huh,” Kara said. “I didn’t think of that.” 

“But you really need to kick things off with a bang,” Alex said. “Do something really romantic for each other. Have a date night. When was the last time you went on a fancy date, just the two of you?” 

It had been so long that Kara couldn’t even remember. “Probably when Lena was pregnant,” she said. “Maybe six months?”

“That’s way too long,” Alex said. “How about this? Jess and I are free on Friday. You can drop the girls off with us for the night and then do something special, just the two of you.”

“You’d really be willing to do that for us?” Kara asked.

“Absolutely,” Alex said. 

Kara leaned forward and grabbed Alex’s hand. “You two are the best. Literally, THE BEST.”

Alex smiled. “Oh, I know.” 

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to pay you back,” Kara said. 

“You can start by giving me that last potsticker,” Alex said. 

“Anything but that!” Kara said dramatically. 

“Hand it over.”

Kara pouted. 

“The pout’s not gonna work. Give it here.”

“Fine,” Kara said glumly, but handed the last potsticker to Alex with a wink. “You really are the best. We need this date night. More than anything.”

**  
Lena came home from the office at 4:30. She’d gotten a very cryptic text from Kara. 

“Meet me on the roof of Giovanni’s at 5:30. Wear the dress hanging on the back of our bedroom door. Don’t drive yourself, have George drive you.” George was Lena’s driver, who she used much less of now that she had two daughters to ferry around. 

When Lena got home, neither Kara nor the girls were anywhere to be seen. Lena was curious about where they were, and what Kara had planned for the night, but she still changed out of her work clothes, took a quick shower, carefully applied her makeup, pumped her breastmilk so she wouldn’t have to worry about it for whatever Kara had planned, and put on the gorgeous red dress that was hanging on the door. It was new; she had no clue where Kara had bought it. But it was a beautiful halter-top dress that perfectly flattered her curves and even held up her post-baby boobs, which was an extraordinary task in itself. 

She had George drop her off at Giovanni’s, a fancy Italian restaurant that she and Kara loved. When she arrived, the maître d’ immediately escorted her onto the roof. It was a gorgeous evening; cloudless sky with a beautiful sunset over the city, a perfect 75 degrees with a slight breeze. But as gorgeous as the night was, it was her wife that took her breath away. Kara was wearing a black halter-top dress that was short enough to show off those amazing legs. And Lena could tell by Kara’s reaction when she saw her that she was equally as amazed with what Lena was wearing. 

“You look…. Wow,” Kara said as she came up to Lena. Lena loved with bumbling, loveable Kara Danvers returned. 

“I was going to say the same thing about you,” Lena said, gently taking Kara’s hands in hers. “You look absolutely stunning.”

Kara bridged the space between them to kiss Lena. It was a soft kiss at first, just a greeting, but suddenly, to Lena’s delight, Kara deepened it. She ran her tongue around Lena’s lips, and Lena didn’t give a damn if it ruined her lipstick. She opened her mouth and let Kara slip her tongue fully into her mouth, and she relished the sensation of Kara’s tongue exploring her mouth for a few moments. Lena felt a familiar heat pooling in her belly and rushing to her nether regions, and she let out a small moan when she felt Kara sucking on her tongue. She let out a whine when Kara pulled away far too soon. 

“There’ll be more where that came from,” Kara said in a husky voice. All the bumbling shyness was gone. 

“I can’t wait,” Lena whispered. 

“For now, the roof’s all ours,” Kara said. Lena was amazed at the spread of wines, cheeses, meats, and pastas that were already laid out in front of her. 

Kara poured them both glasses of wine. Even though the wine had no effect on Kara whatsoever, she still felt almost drunk because of the love and attraction she felt for her wife. 

Lena sat right next to Kara, with Kara’s arm wrapped around her shoulder. For 2 hours, they ate, drank, and talked. Lena could hardly tell you what they even talked about- all she could feel was Kara’s hand seductively stroking the her shoulder, and her collarbone, and even the side of her breast under her dress. Lena’s breasts were extra sensitive, and she sucked in a breath when she felt Kara’s fingers there. 

“You had better stop there, unless you want me to jump your bones on this very public rooftop,” she said, trying to control herself. 

Kara gave her a seductive smile. “Why not? We’re the only ones here.” 

Lena gasped. “Kara Danvers, what has gotten into you!” 

“Hopefully your fingers, and hopefully soon,” Kara said in that same seductive voice. 

“Oh, sweet God,” Lena said, trying to ignore the wet feeling pooling below her. “As much as I want to do this, I’m not having sex on a roof.” 

She felt Kara lean forward and trail her lips against Lena’s cheek, before placing a long, slow kiss to Lena’s jaw. “Then why don’t we get out of here so we can have sex somewhere a little less public.” Kara stood up suddenly, and offered Lena her hand. “Come fly with me.”

“Won’t someone see?”

“No,” Kara said assuredly. 

Lena quickly climbed into Kara’s waiting arms, and they took off. In a matter of seconds, they had landed on the balcony of their apartment. Without putting Lena down, Kara carried into their home, bridal style, and took them straight to the bedroom. Kara helped Lena remove her dress and jewelry, and then Lena laid down on the bed, stark naked, as she watched Kara remove her own dress. 

She saw Kara gulp as she took in the sight of Lena laying on their bed. Lena was still a little self-conscious about her post-baby body. Her stomach was soft and squishy, and still had some red stretch marks marring the pale skin from pregnancy. Her breasts were swollen with milk that she was slightly afraid would leak out during sex, but she knew that Kara wouldn’t mind. Kara gently laid down beside her and gave her a gentle kiss.  
“You’re so beautiful,” she said simply. “So, so beautiful. I love you. I love all of you.” She kissed Lena’s forehead, then the tip of her nose, then her lips, her jaw, her ear, her neck. She kissed down her sternum, and both of her breasts, and her stomach. She kissed the inside of her thighs, then looked up at her. “Is this okay?” she whispered. 

“Yes, please,” Lena said, unashamed at how needy her voice sounded. She was raring to go. 

“Okay,” Kara said, leaning down to kiss Lena THERE, and all of a sudden, everything else in the world fell away. 

**  
“Did we really just have sex for three hours straight?” Kara asked sleepily. 

She was laying on top of Lena, her head nestled against of Lena’s breasts. Lena gently stroked up and down Kara’s bare back, feeling the softness of her skin, and the hard muscles and bone underneath. 

“We did,” Lena answered. It had been a WONDERFUL three hours. They’d taken care of each other multiple times, in multiple different ways: with tongues, with fingers, with toys. Lena hadn’t minded when Kara had wanted to take a break just so she could look at her, and Kara hadn’t minded that Lena’s milk had leaked on her at some points. It was perfectly imperfect, and they loved it even more for it. 

“I’ve missed you like this,” Lena said. “Three months is too long without getting to be with you like this, getting to know you like this.”

“I love being a mom,” Kara said. “But sometimes it’s hard to remember that I’m a wife, too.”

“I know,” Lena said. “We need to prioritize this part of our lives, too.”

Kara told her Alex’s suggestions: having Lily sleep in her own room for a few hours, locking the door, helping Allie to get over her fears of sleeping by herself. 

“Our girls are the most important part of our life,” Kara said, “but WE’RE important, too. As a couple. We don’t need to be neglecting our romantic life, or our sex life.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Lena said. She laughed. “Remember when we were first married and had sex four times a week?” 

Kara laughed. “THOSE were the days.”

“Want to shoot for once a week maybe?” Lena asked. 

“If that,” Kara said with a smile. “It’ll happen when it happens. But I want more date nights, more sex nights. More nights just the two of us.”

“Me, too,” Lena said, bending forward to kiss Kara’s head. 

Kara glanced at the clock. “It’s 11. Alex and Jess said they would watch the girls tonight, but… I miss them.” 

“So do I,” Lena said. “Want to change the sheets while I go get them?”

"Absolutely," Kara said. "I can't wait until they get home. I love our family."


	38. There When I Need You Most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara needs Lena's comforting presence during a hard time in her life, and Lena is there to be Kara's safe space.

Lena was surprised when she looked down at her ringing phone and saw that Alex Danvers was calling her. She and Alex had gotten over their initially strained relationship, united in their love for Kara and their desire to build the happy family unit that Lena had never had growing up. Still, Alex very rarely called Lena; they texted from time to time, but Alex really only called whenever Kara was staying over and had overslept her alarm, or when there was an urgent situation involving Supergirl. Lena’s heart sank; it was 9:30 at night, and she knew that Supergirl had been engaged in a fight earlier in the evening (she did watch the news from time to time, especially when a certain Kryptonian was involved). Whatever Alex wanted to tell her, it wasn’t good. 

“Alex,” she said, her voice cracking. “What’s wrong? Is it Kara? Is she hurt?”

“She’s fine,” Alex said. Lena could hear the emotion in her voice. “Physically, at least. The fight didn’t go as planned. We lost one of our agents.” 

“Oh, no,” Lena said, genuinely saddened by the news. She wasn’t closely ingrained in the DEO, but she knew that it was like a family for Alex and Kara, especially Alex. “Who was it?”

“Jim Preston,” Alex said, choking on the name. “He was relatively new, just got out of the Marines six months ago. We recruited him straight out. He had a lot of promise. He was only 25.”

“I’m so sorry, Alex,” Lena said. Her brow furrowed. “Kara blames herself, doesn’t she?” She and Kara had only been together for a month, but she knew Kara well enough to know that Kara was placing all the blame of the death on herself. 

Alex sighed. “It wasn’t her fault. There wasn’t anything she could’ve done. It was a freak accident. But of course she blames herself.” 

“Is she at the DEO?” Lena asked. 

“No,” Alex said. “She flew off after the fight. I think she flew around for a while, but the transponder that’s in her suit says she’s back in her apartment. I think… I think she probably needs you now.”

Lena frowned. They hadn’t been together long enough for Lena to know what Kara wanted or needed. They hadn’t had a crisis like this come up yet. She knew that Kara had always turned to Alex for comfort, but although she and Kara were together, and had been friends for years, they hadn’t yet talked about what to do when something like this happened; what to do when the other needed comfort or reassurance. “She hasn’t called or texted me, are you sure…”

“Lena,” Alex said firmly. “I know my sister. She can’t bring herself to call or text you, but she needs you. I have to stay here at the DEO. The agents need me, but Kara needs you. Can you please, please go be with her?”

“Yes. I’ll go,” Lena said. She immediately grabbed her coat from the back of her desk chair and made her way out of LCorp. She got her in car- she had driven herself into work instead of getting her driver to do it- and drove to Kara’s apartment. She had always loved Kara’s apartment, with it’s homey décor and fluffy blankets and the fact that it just smelled like KARA. And she was glad that Kara had gone to a place that was the most comfortable to her, where she could be her most vulnerable. 

Lena let herself into the building using the code to the building, and then rode on the elevator up to Kara’s floor. She opened the door to the apartment using the key Kara had given her a few weeks earlier. 

“Kara?” she called gently. “It’s me.”

“I’m in here,” came Kara’s voice, and Lena could already tell that it was absolutely wrecked. 

She looked on the couch and saw Kara laying on it, wrapped in one of her favorite soft blankets and crying softly.

“Oh, Kara,” Lena said quietly. She wanted to make herself as comfortable and accessible as possible, so that she could give Kara as much comfort as she could. She hung her coat by the door and discarded her heels beneath the coat. She untucked her blouse, and reached under her shirt to unhook her bra and slip it off from beneath her shirt. She then unzipped her skirt and took it off, as well as her pantyhose. She laid the discarded clothing on one of Kara’s dining room chairs, then made her way to the couch. 

She knelt beside Kara and reached out to brush a lock of hair from where it was hanging in Kara’s face.   
“You came,” Kara said, her voice choked with emotion. 

“Of course I did,” Lena said, wiping away Kara’s tears with the pad of her thumb. “You needed me and I came.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t… I couldn’t….”

“I know,” Lena said simply. She leaned forward and kissed Kara’s cheek, tasting the salt of her tears as she did so. 

At Lena’s gentle and loving touch, something broke inside Kara. She started crying again, her cries coming in heaving sobs. Lena moved to the couch, where she pulled her girlfriend’s tall, muscled body into her lap as easily as if she was a child. Kara curled into her, burying her face in Lena’s neck and sobbing. Lena rubbed Kara’s back, whispering reassurances into her ear. 

“It’s all my fault,” Kara sobbed. “I should have saved him, I should have protected him.”

“No, baby,” Lena said. “It’s not your fault. It was an accident. There was nothing you could have done.”

Kara sobbed into Lena’s neck, and Lena could feel Kara’s hot breath against her neck, and the tears rolling down into her collar. “Someone’s dead because of me.”

“No,” Lena said, quietly but firmly. “He’s not dead because of you. He was doing his job. He was protecting the people of National City. This was NOT your fault.”

Kara continued crying for what seemed like hours, and Lena continued to give her the little comfort she could. She stroked her hair, whispered I-don’t-know-what’s into her ear. 

Finally, it seemed like all of Kara’s tears had run out. They shifted positions on the couch. Kara lay on top of Lena, her head nestled against Lena’s soft breasts. Lena had snaked her hand in the back of Kara’s shirt, trying to soothe Kara with some skin-to-skin contact. She ran her hand up and down Kara’s back, feeling the hard knobs of bone along her spine, and the taught muscles of her back. 

“Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice,” Kara said suddenly. 

“What do you mean?” Lena whispered. 

“By being Supergirl. By trying to be a hero. I’m not a hero, not really. People have died because of me.”

“You ARE a hero,” Lena said determinedly. “Yes, a few people have died, but do you know how many lives you’ve saved in the years since you came out as Supergirl?”

Kara shook her head against Lena’s chest. 

“Thousands, Kara. Millions, even. You’ve saved the city. You’ve saved the WORLD. But it’s more than that, for me. You saved my life. If you weren’t Supergirl, then I would have died a long time ago.”

“I know,” Kara said. “But sometimes I wish that I didn’t have all the pressure. That I could run away from it all.” She grabbed Lena’s hand and twined their fingers together. “I wish we could run away together,” she said. “Just you and me. I wish we could go somewhere where no one knew who we were. Where I could just be Kara, and you could just be Lena. No CEO, no Luthors, no Supergirl. Just us.”

“There is a place that we can do that,” Lena said. “It’s right here, just like this. You and me. I will always be a safe space for you, Kara,” Lena said. “Just like you’ll always   
be mine. I can be myself around you. I can be who I want to be, say what I want to say. I have never felt like that in my life until I met you.” She kissed Kara’s forehead and scratched at her scalp. The soothing motion prompted a sigh from her girlfriend. “I love you, Kara. And I’m sorry that the agent died. And I’m so sorry that you’re hurting for it.”

“Thank you,” Kara whispered. 

“How would you like to run away with me?” Lena asked. “Not for forever, but for a few days. My family owns a private island in the Caribbean. I haven’t been in years. But it’s secluded, and peaceful, and we could just get away from it all. From National City, and the DEO, and Supergirl duties. We can leave it all behind for a few days and be together, just the two of us. Would you like that?”

Kara nodded against Lena’s chest. “After the funeral.”

“After the funeral,” Lena said in agreement. “We can take my private jet and just get away.”

“I’d like that,” Kara said. “I think I need it.”

“I think you do, too,” Lena said. She kissed Kara again. “Do you want to go to bed? You need rest.”

“Mmmhmm,” Kara sat up, and held her hand out for Lena to help her up. They made their way to Kara’s bedroom, and quickly washed faces and brushed teeth. Kara took off the soft pajamas she was wearing and climbed into bed wearing nothing but her underwear. Lena knew what Kara wanted; it wasn’t sexual at all, but a need to feel close to Lena, to cuddle next to her skin-to-skin. Lena took off her shirt and climbed in next to Kara. She opened her arms and Kara scooted back into her embrace. Kara was usually the big spoon when they cuddled, but Lena knew that she needed to feel Lena’s strength and presence that night. Kara sighed as Lena’s arms clasped around her waist. She was grounded by her girlfriend’s presence, by the soft skin touching her own, by the foot stroking her calf softly, by the press of Lena’s breasts against the bare skin of her back. Lena was there with her; she wasn’t going anywhere. 

“You are the strongest person I know,” Lena whispered. “The best person I know. I love you so much, Kara Zor-El. More than I have ever loved anyone. More than I ever will love anyone. The world is a better place because you’re in it, and don’t you ever forget that.”

And Kara never did.


	39. New Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Supercorp ringing in the New Year. Happy New Year!

Kara touched down on the balcony of her apartment. It was almost midnight. At 10, she and Lena had put the girls to bed and were watching one of the New Year shows when Kara had gotten a call that a drunk alien had stumbled out of one of National City’s numerous alien bars and was causing a ruckus downtown. She managed to subdue him quickly, and took him to the DEO, where he was sleeping it off in a holding cell. He was a low-risk prisoner; he worked as a mechanic and was well-integrated into Earth society, and Kara suspected that other than a wicked hangover and a good deal of embarrassment, he wouldn’t cause any other problems for them. 

Kara closed the window behind her and made her way into the kitchen, where she drank a glass of water and scarfed down a protein bar. Streaky saw her come in and jumped onto the counter, demanding pets. Kara leaned against the counter and looked around the apartment as she ate and petted a purring Streaky. 

How different the apartment looked than when Lena lived here alone! It had been empty and impersonal; sleek furniture and smooth gray walls, but no pictures, no paintings, no flowers. It looked like an apartment that a realtor would show to perspective buyers as a model home. Kara’s apartments had always been homey. She had pictures of family and friends, paintings that she had framed, flowers, many colorful quilts. When she moved in, she wanted to brighten up the apartment. They kept the sleek aesthetic of the place, but soon the walls were covered in paintings and pictures of Kara and Lena with their friends and chosen family. There were ALWAYS fresh flowers around the apartment, and Kara had brought her favorite colorful quilts and blankets to place on the couch and all the beds. Pictures of their daughters soon adorned the walls. Kara smiled at the chaos of the room- it was a stark contrast to the almost-sterile state of the apartment before they started dating. There were toys EVERYWHERE- Allie’s dolls, blocks, children’s books, Lily’s playmat and Mamaroo, Streaky’s bed was in the corner, as were a box of his toys. Their empty wine glasses rested on the table, and the quarterly report that Lena was half-heartedly perusing lay on the coffee table. It was perfectly imperfect, and Kara LOVED it. 

She quietly made her way into the bedroom. She smiled at the sight that greeted her. Lena was still up, nursing the baby. Lily, who like her sister had apparently inherited Kara’s abundant appetite, was making adorable little grunts as she sucked. To Kara’s surprise, Allie was asleep in the bed next to them, snuggled up close beside Lena with her thumb in her mouth. Lena held Lily with one hand and was gently stroking Allie’s curls with the other. 

“Hi, love,” Kara whispered when she came in. She made her way over to the bed to give Lena a kiss, and then bent down to place a kiss on Lily’s head and another on Allie’s cheek. She took off her suit and hung it up in the closet, trading it for a soft, worn t-shirt with “National City University” on it and a pair of flannel pajama pants. She climbed in bed next to Lena, careful not to disturb Allie. Luckily, Allie was a heavy sleeper and stayed fast asleep, sucking her thumb contentedly. Kara gently took it out of her mouth; it was still a comfort mechanism for her, but they didn’t want her to do it so much that it began to affect her teeth. Lena snorted slightly when Allie immediately popped the thumb back in her mouth in her sleep. Kara shrugged- you win some, you lose some.

Lily had finished nursing, so Lena sat her up and gently burped her. Sleepy and milk-drunk, Lily was perfectly content to go back into the co-sleeper next to Lena. Lena rubbed her stomach for a few minutes as she fell back asleep. She would be up again at around 4 for her next feeding. 

Lena turned back to Kara. “Did you get everything taken care of?” 

“Yep,” Kara said. “A Roltikkon mechanic got really drunk at a New Year’s party and was running around the street naked. I really think the police could have handled him, he wasn’t any different than a drunk human. I took him to the DEO to sober up.” She sighed. “I wish that I was here with you instead. Some way to spend New Year’s Eve.”

Lena smiled. “Remember when we actually went to multiple New Year’s parties?”

Kara laughed gently. “Those were the days.” She smiled as Allie made a squeaking noise in her sleep and rolled over to face her. Almost as if instinctively sensing her mama’s warmth and presence, Allie snuggled in close, burying her face in Kara’s hip and throwing her little arm around her thigh. Kara gently rearranged her so that she could be in a more comfortable position, then stroked her hair like Lena had been doing. “I couldn’t imagine staying out partying until 3 anymore,” she said. “They’re worth it though.”

“Absolutely,” Lena said, reaching over to gently rub Allie’s back. “She came in at 11 and said she had a bad dream. She was crying and didn’t want to sleep alone, so I said she could be in here with us for the night.” They were trying to limit Allie’s nighttime visits, but both Kara and Lena recognized when their daughter needed some extra time and comfort with them. 

Kara looked at the clock on her bedside table. “2 minutes left in the year.”

“It’s been a great year,” Lena said. “We have Lily now, and she’s been such a little blessing to us.” Lily had completed their family, and was the fourth corner to their family square that they never knew they were missing. She was barely 3 months old, but it was clear that she was a sweet, easy baby who brought so much joy to their lives. 

Lena continued: “Allie’s talking and is turning into her own little person, and I never knew how much fun watching her grow up could be.” Lena loved watching Allie learn new things, become more talkative, and figure out her own likes and dislikes. She was a smart, curious little girl who asked so many wonderful questions, and she already loved her sister so fiercely it almost hurt to see it. In the fall she would be starting at a Chinese immersion pre-school that Lena had signed her up for before birth, and Lena and Kara both couldn’t wait to learn Chinese alongside her. 

“But most importantly, you’ve stayed by my side year after year. You’ve never wavered, through thick and thin. I don’t know what I would do without you, Kara Danvers.”

Kara smiled. “I don’t know what I would do without YOU. You and our girls make each year better than the last. It’s been a great year- National City has been fairly peaceful, things are going well at CatCo, and things are going great at the DEO. But you, Allie, and Lily have made my year so much better. I love you, all of you.”

Kara smiled as she saw her clock change to midnight. “Happy New Year, my love,” she said, leaning in to give Lena a kiss. She felt Lena smiling against her lips. 

“Happy New Year,” Lena said, giving Kara another kiss. 

“Do you have any wishes for the New Year?” Kara asked. 

Lena smiled. “Not much- health, happiness, and that all our dreams come true.”

Both of them knew that whatever the New Year brought, they would have their family, and in the end, that was the most important thing of all.


	40. Did You Know That I Really Hate You Sometimes?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena go to a spin class. It's a breeze for Kara, but for Lena, it's a totally different story!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired by the scene from tonight's episode of Kara and Lena at spin class, so I decided to put my own "spin" on it (I'll see myself out now). 
> 
> It's been a little while since I updated. Work got crazy after the New Year, plus I started training for a half marathon and a lot of my evenings are taken up with running or the gym. I'm hoping to get another chapter out again really soon- this one hopefully longer!

Lena’s lungs felt like they were on fire. She felt like she had a cramp in every single muscle in both of her legs. And don’t even START on her privates- giving birth twice and having a third-degree tear after Allie was born felt like child’s play compared to having this stupid fucking seat shoving into her. She wanted to die. Actually die. Why in the world had she thought that a spin class would be a good idea? It was the worst idea she had ever had. She could feel the sweat pouring off of her, and of course in the chaos of trying to leave the apartment before the class (Allie had thrown a spectacular temper tantrum because Lena had picked out a red shirt for her to wear instead of purple) she’d forgotten to put on deodorant, and she could already smell her own body odor. Disgusting. And then of course she hadn’t had time to feed Lily or pump before the class, so her boobs felt ginormous. This was an absolute disaster. SHE was an absolute disaster. 

What had she said to Kara that morning? She could see herself, sitting at the kitchen with a cup of coffee, eating the egg white and spinach omelet that Kara had made for her. Kara herself was having four PopTarts for breakfast- typical. 

“We should go to a spin class today. Dr. Peltz gave me the go-ahead to start working out again two weeks ago, and I really need to start getting this baby weight off.”

Kara peered at her over the newspaper she was reading (Kara always, ALWAYS read a real newspaper in the morning. What a dork). “You don’t need to get any weight off, you look amazing. But I’d still love to do a spin class. We used to do them ALL the time!” She smiled at Lena. “I liked it when you wore that gray top. It made your boobs look especially amazing.”

“I KNEW you were staring at them!” Lena said triumphantly. This was before they had started dating; she had looked over to say something to Kara and Kara looked up quickly, blushed and started stammering. 

“Can you blame me? You have great tits,” Kara said with a wink. 

How did she get from that wink (which was really damn hot, by the way) to this seventh-circle-of-hell spin class? 

She looked over at Kara, who was pedaling along beside her, happily chatting about who-knows-what (Lena had stopped listening a long time ago so that she could better concentrate on not dying). She wished that she had her own laser vision so that she could shoot beams right into Kara’s stupid peppy face. 

“You’re not even sweating.”

“What, babe?” Kara said. 

“How are you not fucking sweating? Or even breathing hard?

Kara let out a short laugh. “Do you remember who you’re talking to?”

“Fuck off,” Lena muttered. “I feel like I’m about to die.”

“You’re doing great,” Kara said. “Look- we’ve already done 25 minutes. Only five minutes left to go!”

“Fuck me,” Lena murmured.

“Alright everybody!” The instructor called from the front of the room. “Only a few minutes left! Let’s push it!”

Lena groaned. “That’s it, I’m definitely going to die.”

“Nope!” Kara said. “No dying here today. I don’t feel like being a single mom to two girls under the age of three QUITE yet.”

“Why did I decide to come today? I am an IDIOT.”

“No you’re not,” Kara said. “You’re fit, and you’re strong, and you’ve got this. Come on, let’s do this. PUSH IT.”

“SHUT. UP.” Lena muttered through gritted teeth. She was pissed, but she was determined. If there was one thing that could be said about Lena Luthor, it was that she didn’t give up easily. She stood up, pushing herself as hard as she could. Her thighs burned, she had a stitch in her side, she was pretty sure that her milk was leaking… but she pushed through the pain, and the frustration. She could DO this. 

“Push, push, push! Come on, guys!” the instructor called. 

Lena pushed. She grunted with exertion. But she was NOT giving up.

After thirty more seconds of hard pedaling, the instructor finally shouted. “Great work, everybody. Let’s start cooling down.”

“See? You did it!” Kara said. She reached out and rubbed Lena’s shoulder. “I knew you had it in you.” 

Lena was still trying to catch her breath after the hard exertion she’d put forward. She grabbed Kara’s hand and gave it a squeeze. When she was finally able to say something, she turned back to her wife. 

“Kara?”

“Yep?” Kara asked breezily. 

“I love you, you know that.” 

“Uh, duh!” Kara said with a laugh. 

Lena panted. “But did you know that I really hate you sometimes? Like… now?”

Kara threw her head back and laughed so loudly that the others in the class turned to stare at her, but she didn’t care one bit. 

“You know what Lena?” she said when she stopped laughing. “Right now, I don’t blame you one bit. If I were you, I would hate my guts, too.”

Lena rolled her eyes. She had to love her, though- her beautiful, strong, indestructible, absolutely maddening wife.


	41. You Look Just Like My Girlfriend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara gets drunk on too much alien alcohol and Lena has to take care of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun one to write!

Lena’s head jerked up when she heard what sounded like something crash-landing on her balcony.

“What the hell was that?” she asked herself as she carefully made her way to her balcony. She was afraid that it was yet another assassin, maybe someone sent by her mother, or a rival company… Her balcony had the best protection money could buy, but you never know. The only person who was granted unlimited access to the balcony was…

“KARA?” 

Lena was shocked when she got close enough to actually see what it was that had crash-landed on her balcony. It was none other than Kara Danvers, wearing jeans, a partially untucked shirt, and braids that were almost coming undone. Her glasses were askew on her face, and it was a miracle that they weren’t broken in the fall. She looked sloppy, a stark contrast to her usual prim, put-together self. She was lying on her side, and groaned as she picked herself off the ground, stumbling as she stood up. 

“Where… where AM I?” she asked. “This is…. This is like a palath. Palath? PA-LATH. No, no… PALACE.” Her voice was slurred. Almost as if… 

“Are you DRUNK?” Lena asked incredulously. 

“I’m not drunk, I’m Kara,” she slurred, and then started snort-laughing at her own joke. 

“Oh God, you ARE drunk,” Lena said. “Where did you get alien alcohol?”

“An alien bar,” Kara scoffed, as if the answer was obvious. 

“Right,” Lena said. She remembered that Kara was going out for a drink with some of her DEO coworkers. She had invited Lena along, but they had only been dating for two weeks, and weren’t out as a couple yet. Lena had wanted to keep it private for just a bit longer, before the tabloids and newspapers found out. 

“Was Alex there?” Lena asked. Alex Danvers could DRINK, that Lena knew, but she doubted Alex would let Kara get as drunk as she was, or drink and fly like she had obviously been doing.

“Alex is boooooooooooring,” Kara said. “She went home early to watch a movie with her giiiiiiiiiiiiiirlfriend.” Alex and Jess, Lena’s assistant, had been dating for almost a year. “I have a girlfriend too, ya know. She’s the most beautiful girlfriend of all the girlfriends ever.”

Lena couldn’t help but smile at that. “Oh, is she now?”

“Uh huh,” Kara said, stumbling towards Lena. Lena grabbed her arm and helped guide her inside, where she sat her down on the couch. “Her name is Lena. Leeeeeenaaaaa. It makes me happy just saying it.”

“Mmm,” Lena said, walking into the kitchen to get Kara a large glass of water. 

“She has this hair that’s like, that’s like… tar,” Kara said. Lena snorted- what a gross thing to compare her hair too! “But it’s not like tar, ‘cause it’s so pretty. I like when she wears it down. She’s soooooooooo pretty with her hair down. And with her hair up.”

“Is that so?” Lena said with a smile as she brought Kara the water. “I want you to drink all of this now, ok?’

“’kay,” Kara said, finishing the large glass in a few gulps.

Kara continued on with her praise about her girlfriend. “And her eyes, her eyes are like emeralds. They’re the first thing you notice about her. She used to have sad eyes, but they’re less sad now.”

Lena’s heart constricted a little at that.

“And her BOOBS- oh my Rao, her BOOBS!” Kara exclaimed. Lena snorted. “They’re so fluffy and fun. Sometimes I like sucking on them when we have sex. And tweaking her nipples. Lena likes having her nipples tweaked.” Lena rolled her eyes, even though it was all true- she did love it when Kara played with her nipples. “Sometimes when we’re in bed I lay my head on them. They’re the softest, comfiest pillows ever. And then I poke one and say ‘Boop!’ and watch it jiggle. That’s fun.” Lena laughed and shook her head, because Kara indeed loved laying her head on Lena’s boobs, after sex and just when they were cuddling, and poking at her breasts and watching them jiggle. It was a little goofy, but it was just so KARA. 

Kara looked at Lena’s face. “You look like somebody I know.”

Lena raised her eyebrow in that bewitching way that non-drunk Kara would have loved. “Really? And who do you think I look like.”

“My Lena,” Kara said dreamily. “You look just like her actually.” Kara gasped. “Are you her secret twin?”

Lena burst out laughing. “NO I’m not her secret twin. I AM Lena, you goofball.”

Kara gasped. “You ARE Lena! Oh my Rao!” She furrowed her eyebrows, and the famous crinkle appeared between. “When did you get here?”

Lena kept laughing. “Ok, we need to get YOU to bed. And another glass of water.”

“I don’t want another glass of water,” Kara grumped. “Water’s gross.”

“You’ll thank me tomorrow,” Lena said, handing her another glass and prompting her to drink it. “I’m well-versed on how to treat hangovers.”

“Will I be hungover?” Kara slurred, dribbling water all down her front- she’d forgotten to swallow. 

“Oh, you’re going to be VERY hungover tomorrow,” Lena said. “At least, if you can get hangovers you will be. If you can’t I’ll be VERY jealous.” She handed Kara two Tylenol. “Take this, too. I don’t know if it’ll make a difference for you, but just in case…”

Kara took them with ease. 

Lena offered a hand and heaved her up off the couch. Kara didn’t look like she weighed much, but she was basically dead weight at this point, and Lena was having trouble as she practically dragged her girlfriend to the bedroom. She helped Kara undress, and put on a pair of worn sweatpants and a big tshirt. 

“Ahhhhhhhhh,” Kara said. “Comfy.”

“Do you feel like you need to be sick?” Lena asked. She hated to be too concerned, but this was a VERY expensive bed. 

“Nahhhhh,” Kara said. “At least, I don’t think so. I’ve never been sick.”

“Oh,” Lena said. She was going to have to do the “explain it like I’m five” method. “Does your stomach feel funny? Maybe like it hurts, or has something sloshing around in it.”

“Hmmmmm…” Kara said, and then suddenly she clamped her hand over her mouth and ran to the bathroom. She made it just it time. 

Lena grimaced as she walked to the bathroom. She knelt down and rubbed Kara’s back as Kara continued vomiting. Lena hated when other people were sick, but Kara had done this for her multiple times. It was the least she could do. 

After a few minutes, Kara straightened up. Lena offered her a wet washcloth to wipe her mouth. 

“Thanks,” Kara muttered. “That sucked.”

“Mmmmmhmm,” Lena nodded. 

“I wanna go to sleep. This isn’t fun anymore.”

Poor Kara- Lena wanted to laugh, but didn’t out of respect for her girlfriend. 

“Okay, but I’m going to watch you while you sleep, to make sure that you don’t get sick again and hurt yourself.”

“’Kay,” Kara muttered as she fell into bed. She was almost immediately passed out, snoring a bit, but Lena did manage to maneuver her onto her side, so that she wouldn’t choke if she threw up in her sleep. Lena did some work on her laptop as she watched her girlfriend sleep. One a couple of hours had passed and she was convinced Kara wasn’t going to be sick and asphyxiate, she closed the laptop down, placed a kiss on Kara’s temple, and went to sleep herself. 

She woke up a few hours later to the sound of more vomiting coming from the bathroom. She got up and made her way to the bathroom, where Kara was unceremoniously wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Kara moved to the sink to wash her hands (thank goodness- Lena was not going to let her touch her until she did). 

“I feel like shit,” Kara said with a groan. She really must feel like shit, because Kara rarely cursed!  
“So you DO get hangovers after all?” Lena said, slightly gleeful that now her girlfriend got to experience her pain. 

“Guess so. Rao, I don’t even know how I got over here.”

“You flew.”

“I FLEW?” Kara said, her eyes shooting open. “In my civilian clothes? Oh Rao, oh no, what if someone saw?”

“No one saw,” Lena said. “I could tell by the velocity you hit my balcony that you were going too fast for anyone to see. But don’t ever let me hear of you drunk flying again. You could have hurt yourself or someone else. Badly.”

“I know,” Kara said, burying her face in her hands. “God, I didn’t mean to drink so much… I thought it was just a couple of drinks but man, the last thing I remember I was singing karaoke with Winn and then… THIS.”

“So you don’t remember anything about last night?”

“No,” Kara said. “I didn’t say anything embarrassing, did I?’

“No,” Lena said. She smiled mischievously. “Although you may have mentioned how much you like my eyes, And my hair. And my boobs.”

“Oh, Rao,” Kara said. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry if anything I said made you uncomfortable, or…” 

Lena leaned in to peck her girlfriend on the cheek (she ignored the lips, because… vomit). “It didn’t make me uncomfortable. I thought it was sweet. I think that YOU’RE sweet. I love you a lot, you know.”

Kara smiled sheepishly. “Even when I’m ridiculously drunk?”

Lena placed a gentle finger on Kara’s nose. “Even when you’re ridiculously drunk. Now, let’s get you some bacon. Bacon always cures hangovers.” She stood up and went to get breakfast started, but not before poking Kara’s boob, saying “Boob!” and laughing loudly as she walked away from her very confused girlfriend. This was going to be a lot of fun.


	42. Comforting Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allie has a nightmare, and Lena and Kara are there to comfort her through it. Soft, fluffy Supercorp at it's finest.

“No. No. Noooooooooooooooo.”

The cry came loud and clear through the video baby monitor in Kara and Lena’s room. Lena sat up immediately, still partially awake after having finished feeding Lily only minutes before. She was instantly out of bed and walking to Allie’s room. 

She entered Allie’s room and found her thrashing about in her bed, clearly in the middle of a nightmare. Her heart broke at the sight of her daughter, face contorted in fear even in her sleep, struggling against whatever fearful thing she saw in her dream. 

Lena placed a gentle hand on Allie’s stomach to still her frantic movements. 

“Allie,” she whispered loudly. “It’s just a dream, sweetie.”

Allie woke up with a gasp at the sound of Lena’s voice, and immediately burst into tears, causing Lena’s heart to break once again. 

“Moooooooooooomy,” Allie wailed. Lena immediately gathered the frightened little girl into her arms. Allie held onto Lena tightly and buried her face in Lena’s neck, sobbing so hard that her breath came in gasps. Lena held Allie against her stomach and chest and paced around the room with her for a few minutes, rubbing her back, pressing soft kisses to her temple, and whispering into her ear to try and calm her. 

“Shhhhhhhhh,” she whispered. “It’s okay. You’re safe. Mommy’s here.”

After a few minutes of soothing and pacing, Allie calmed down somewhat, although her frantic sobs were only replaced with hiccupping cries. 

Lena stroked Allie’s curls gently. They were wild, sleep-mussed, and sweaty after her nightmare. She placed a kiss to the side of her head. “Let’s go to my room,” she whispered. “You can sleep with me, Mama, and Lily tonight. Would you like that?” Allie nodded against her neck. 

She carried Allie into her and Kara’s room. Kara had heard the commotion through the baby monitor and was sitting up in bed with the light on. Lily, who blessedly had the ability to sleep through anything and everything, was still fast asleep in the co-sleeper attached to Lena’s side of the bed. Lena climbed into bed with Allie, leaning back against the pillows and settling her daughter against her chest. Allie laid her head on Lena’s breast (which she had lovingly named “Mommy’s pillows”) and put her thumb in her mouth, her favorite self-soothing mechanism. Kara cuddled up next to them, her head on Lena’s shoulder and her face only inches from Allie’s, and rubbed Allie’s back, and Lena breathed in slow and deeply, hoping the movement of her own slow, steady breaths would help to calm her daughter and slow her rapid breath and heartbeat. Allie gently rubbed her free hand up and down Lena’s neck (another strange but sweet soothing mechanism she’d developed), and still cried softly. After a few minutes nestled against Lena’s soft stomach and breasts, and surrounded by the comforting presence and scent of her mothers, Allie’s breathing began to slow, and Kara heard her heartbeat slowing as well. Her cries finally subsided. 

“Hi Baby Bear,” Kara said after Allie had calmed a bit. She reached out to gently smooth those wild curls, so much like her own, behind Allie’s ear. “Did you have a nightmare?”

Still sucking on her thumb, Allie nodded quietly. 

“Do you want to tell me and Mommy about it?” Kara asked gently. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but we’re always here to listen.” 

Both Kara and Lena knew a thing or two about nightmares. Kara still had nightmares from time to time about Krypton’s destruction, or the phantom zone, or losing someone she loved. Lena had nightmares about her mother’s death, abuse and neglect at the hands of Lillian Luthor, Lex’s descent into madness, and the assassination attempts she had face. They were always there to comfort each other through the nightmares, and to listen if the other needed to talk. Allie had started having nightmares a few months before, and it broke both their hearts. She didn’t have them often; maybe once a month or so. But whenever she did, she became absolutely terrified, and almost was inconsolable. One of them either spent the rest of the night in bed with her, or as they did this night, brought her into bed with them. They’d read that they needed to help Allie develop her own self-comforting mechanisms to get through her fears on her own, but for now, she still needed her mothers. She wasn’t even three yet. 

“Monster chased me,” Allie muttered around her thumb. 

“That must have been a scary dream,” Lena said. “But the good thing about monsters is that they aren’t real.”

Allie was quiet for a moment, a mini-crinkle in between her brows, as if she was trying to figure out how to articulate what she wanted to say. 

“Was real,” she said simply.

Kara understood what she meant. “I know it felt real,” she said reassuringly, trying to validate her daughter’s feelings and beliefs. “Nightmares can do that sometimes. But me and Mommy are here when you wake up to help you remember that it’s not real. You’re safe here,” Kara said, still stroking Allie’s hair. “You’re here at home, with me and Mommy and Lily. Mommy and I won’t let anything happen to you. EVER. We always want to keep you safe, and we will always, always protect you.”

“Supergirl protects me, too,” Allie said. Kara and Lena looked at each other and smiled. Allie LOVED Supergirl, but she had no idea that the hero that she so idolized was currently lying next to her and rubbing her back. They wanted to protect her from the reality of her situation as long as they could, so that she could be a normal kid for as long as possible. 

“Supergirl does protect you,” Kara agreed. “She protects everyone in National City, but she especially wants to protect you. She told me that herself.” They had told Allie that Supergirl was friends with both of her moms, and Allie had even met “Supergirl” when J’onn was nice enough to step in to play her for a bit. 

An idea suddenly popped into Kara’s head. “Did you know that Supergirl keeps an extra cape here sometimes?”

Allie’s eyes opened wide. “She does?”

“Uh-huh,” Kara said. “She gave it to me to keep, just in case she’s nearby and ever needs it. And she told me something really cool about it- it gives anyone who wears it automatic good dreams.”

“Really?” Allie said, finally taking her thumb out of her mouth. 

“I think she would want you to use it,” Kara said. “She would want you to have only good dreams. I’ll go get it, but you have to close your eyes for it to work,” Kara said, hoping to keep Allie from discovering Supergirl’s uniform hanging in her closet. 

Allie shut her eyes tightly as Kara got up from the bed and moved to the closet, where she removed the cape from the uniform and brought it to the bed. 

“Wooooooow,” Allie said. 

Kara draped the cape over Lena, Allie, and herself. “There,” she said. “Only good dreams for Allie, Mommy, and Mama for the rest of the night.”

Allie smiled. “You promise?”

“I pinky promise,” Kara said, hooking her finger with Allie’s. “And I never break my promises.”

“You promise, Mommy?” Allie asked. 

“I promise,” Lena said, placing a kiss to Allie’s forehead. 

“Here,” Kara said, gently scooting Allie off of Lena’s chest and nestling her between the two of them so that Lena could sleep more comfortably. Lena gave her a thankful wink and smile. “You can sleep in a Mama Sandwich so that you’ll have even better dreams.”

Lena pressed herself against Allie’s back and Kara moved close at her front, both of them lightly wrapping their arms around her. Kara turned the light off and softly began singing an old Kryptonian lullaby, the same song that her mother would sing to her as she rocked her to sleep at night. Lulled to sleep by Kara’s voice and enveloped in the warmth of Supergirl’s cape and her mothers’ arms, Allie put her thumb back in her mouth and sucked on it gently until she was soon fast asleep. 

Once Kara knew she was asleep, she stopped singing and whispered, “Only good dreams for my girl from now on.”

“I hate that she has nightmares,” Lena whispered. “I wish I could take them away. I wish I could have them, instead of her. But she comes by it honestly. Both of us, with all our nightmares… it’s not a surprise.” 

“I know,” Kara said softly. “I wish we could take away all her hurt and all her fear. Hers and Lily’s. But we can’t. All we can do is help them through it, let them know that we love them, and that we’ll protect them, and that we’re there for them. Allie and Lily are going to have beautiful, happy lives. They already do. They will always know that they’re safe, and that they’re loved, and that we will do anything for them, no matter what. Everyone has nightmares, but their nightmares won’t be like ours. They won’t be about terrible things that happened to them in life. They’ll be of monsters and boogeymen, things that won’t and can’t happen to them. They’ll have a different life than you and me, Lena. We’ve given them a different life.”

“I know,” Lena said with a soft, slightly sad smile. “They don’t have to be scared like we were scared. And for that, I’m eternally grateful.” 

Lena and Kara both fell asleep soon afterward. And, true to Kara’s word, all three only had happy dreams for the rest of the night, and for many more nights to come.


	43. The Lena Luthor Boobs and Butt Appreciation Society

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mildly smutty chapter for once. Inspired by this post from Sango: http://sangoundercover.tumblr.com/post/182425418222/do-you-take-requests-if-so-can-you-draw#notes

Lena yawned and stretched her hands over her head as she woke up from her post-sex nap. Lena loved naps, which surprised most people who met her, since she was such a workaholic. Lena WAS a workaholic, sometimes to an extreme degree, but she could also relax just as hard as she worked, and there were few things more relaxing than a good, old fashioned nap. 

Post-sex naps were particular favorites, and she’d been taking quite a few of them over the past two weeks. That was how long it had been since she and Kara had gotten together. They were still in the phase of their relationship that Lena had jokingly termed the “humping like rabbits” stage, where any moment spent together where they weren’t having sex felt like a waste. Lying in Kara’s bed, completely naked, next to Kara, who was also completely naked, after an afternoon of sex where she had three orgasms herself and had given Kara three orgasms, was absolute bliss. 

Kara was awake, lying on her side with one hand tucked under her pillow, and was staring at Lena with a dreamy expression. She looked totally and completely relaxed. Her hair was wild and sex-mussed, and her eyes were bright and filled with joy. 

One surprising fact that Lena had discovered about Kara, which in hindsight should not have been such a surprise, was that at home, she didn’t wear her glasses. There was no need, since she didn’t need to keep up with the “Kara Danvers” persona in her own home. It had admittedly been a little disconcerting at first, to see Supergirl in Kara Danvers’s home wearing Kara Danvers’s clothes and using Kara Danvers’s mannerisms. But Lena quickly grew used to it, and in fact even loved it, getting to see Kara at her most comfortable, and getting to see all of the wonderful emotions that her beautiful blue eyes held, unobscured by the thick glasses frames. Kara had also stopped wearing her glasses at Lena’s apartment, which touched Lena; it was a sign that Kara could be at her most comfortable and vulnerable in Lena’s home, too. 

Lena reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Kara’s ear. “What are you staring at?”

Kara smiled. “Your butt,” she said simply. 

“My BUTT?” Lena asked incredulously. The sheet had slid down to her knees, so her bare bottom was on full display.

“Yep. It’s cute. I love it.” 

Lena snorted. “My butt is NOT cute.”

“It IS!” Kara said adamantly. “It’s… it’s so round, and soft, and fun.”

Lena rolled her eyes. “You told me yesterday that my boobs were round and soft and fun.”

“They ARE!” Kara exclaimed. “I love your boobs, too.”

“Oh, I know you do,” Lena said with a smirk. Her nipples were still tender from when Kara had passionately sucked on them as her hand was working furiously between Lena’s thighs. Not that Lena was complaining, she had enjoyed it just as much as Kara had. 

“I’m going to start a club,” Kara said. “The Lena Luthor Boobs and Butt Appreciation Society. Society rules are that you have to love Lena Luthor’s boobs and butt.”

Lena rolled her eyes. “So there will be a membership of exactly one?”

“Mmmmhmm,” Kara said with a nod. “Which is exactly how I want it.” She moved towards Lena and placed a gentle kiss on Lena’s butt. “It’s just so kissable.” She placed more kisses all over Lena’s butt and back, almost worshipfully. She nibbled playfully at the supple skin at Lena’s hip, and repeated the nibbling on her shoulder. Lena hummed contentedly, feeling herself getting more and more worked up by the minute. 

“Want to go for round two?” Kara asked breathily, her lips brushing against Lena’s ear as she spoke. She playfully stuck her tongue in Lena’s ear, an action that made Lena squirm. 

“You read my mind,” Lena said, closing her eyes and smiling as Kara kneaded at her butt with one hand. 

“Good,” Kara said, moving back down Lena’s body. Lena moved to turn over, but Kara gently pressed her back into the mattress. “Let’s do it from behind this time, so I can appreciate that amazing ass of yours. After all, that’s the point of the society. Next round we can go from the front, so I can appreciate your tits.”

Lena let out a moan. Kara rarely talked dirty, but when she did, Lena could hardly hand it. “I’m feeling really… Can we just….”

Kara smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”

**

An hour and a half later, after they’d both finished multiple times, Lena worked her way up from between Kara’s legs, lying firmly on top of Kara and burying her face in Kara’s neck. She could feel Kara breathing heavily beneath her, trying to catch her breath after her last orgasm. She gave Kara a few minutes to come back down, gently whispering sweet nothings in her ear and placing gentle kisses to her neck and jaw. 

“That was amazing,” Kara said, finally having recovered. She leaned in to kiss Lena before lacing their fingers. “Where did your mouth learn to work like that?”

“Practice makes perfect, and I’ve gotten a lot of practice these last two weeks,” Lena said with a smile. “So… will all Society meetings end like that? Because if so, I may have to join, too.”

“Of course!” Kara said with a smile. “That should be a rule. All Lena Luthor Boobs and Butt Appreciation Society meetings will end with mind-blowing sex. And so it is written.”

Lena smiled. “Good. I think this is a club I’m definitely going to enjoy being a member of. And I feel like we’re going to have Society meetings on a regular basis.”

Kara smiled widely. “Oh, we most definitely are. And I have a feeling we will both THOROUGHLY enjoy them.”


	44. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena finds out that Mon-El is coming to Brainy and Nia's wedding, and she starts to feel jealous about Kara meeting him again after all these years. Luckily, Kara is there to dispel her fears and show her exactly what she means to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little more angsty than what I usually write, because I've had a little bit of an angsty week. Pure domestic fluff will be back on the menu again next chapter! Also, if you have any ideas about fluffy chapters, especially involving Allie and Lily, let me know!

“The guest list is really overwhelming me,” Nia said with a sigh as she nibbled on a piece of a corn chip. She had joined Lena for lunch to go over wedding details. 

Nia and Brainy were finally getting married. The Superfriends had all been coaching Brainy on exactly HOW to propose to her for months, but in the end, it was Nia herself who popped the question (although Brainy DID give her the engagement ring that J’onn had helped him pick out, and she cried in joy at how beautiful and perfect it was). 

Lena and Kara were both providing moral support as she was planning the wedding, since Brainy was of no help- after all, it had taken him several years to move beyond thinking that marriage was just a ridiculous, made-up human construct. 

“I wanted it to be small. Just my immediate family, the Superfriends, your kids, and Eliza. But Brainy keeps adding people and it’s getting bigger and bigger. We’ve had to change the location four times, I think. He’s invited every single DEO employee, even the janitors. And then he invited the Legion, so we had to get time travel involved. It’s really been a pain.”

Lena’s eyebrows shot up at the mention of the Legion, but Nia didn’t take notice. “The Legion’s coming?” she asked. There was a slight edge to her voice.

Nia nodded. “I couldn’t deny him that. They were basically his only friends and family for several years, it’s only fair that they come. Although thank goodness Nura already had plans, having our great-great-something granddaughter there would be really… weird.”

“Who else from the Legion will be there?” Lena asked. 

“Your usuals. Garth Ranzz- Lightning Lad. He asked if he could bring three plus-ones but I limited him to one. Cosmic Boy, and Invisible Kid- that’s Lyle Norg, I figured it wouldn’t be too bad since we won’t actually be able to see him… Bouncing Boy. His superpower is that he can inflate like a giant ball and bounce around. I don’t see how that power is particularly useful, but Briany says he came in handy a lot. Let’s see, who else? Imra, of course. She’s coming with her husband and son, she apparently just had a baby a couple of months ago.”

Lena’s eyebrows furrowed. “I didn’t know that she and Mon-El had a child.”

“Mon-El’s not her husband,” Nia said. “They broke up years ago. She married someone else, someone without superpowers.”

“Really?” Lena asked. “I had no clue.”

Nia shrugged. “I thought Brainy had mentioned it to Kara, but I could be wrong. You know him, sometimes he forgets that people may be interested in stuff like that.”

“If he did she certainly didn’t mention it to me,” Lena said. An uneasy feeling was growing in her stomach. “Is Mon-El coming?”

Nia nodded as she took a bite of a taco. 

“Is he bringing anyone?”

“I don’t think so,” Nia said as she swallowed. “He only RSVP’ed for himself.”

Lena was growing more and more uneasy by the minute, and she found that her appetite had completely gone. She looked at her watch as a diversion. “I need to get going, I’ve got a meeting in fifteen minutes. It was lovely eating with you.”

“Okay,” Nia said with a smile. “This was fun, we should do it again, soon. Maybe bring Kara and Brainy along.” She truly was a sweet girl; Lena knew she had no clue why the mention of Mon-El and Imra breaking up, or that he was (apparently) still single, made her uneasy. 

The rest of Lena’s day went by in a blur. All she could think about was Mon-El. Mon-El, single. Mon-El, coming back to their time. It was the first time Kara would be seeing him in years, since before she and Lena had gotten together. What if being around him showed Kara what she could have had? What if she realized that he truly was her soulmate? What if she wanted to give him another chance? 

Kara had DEO duties that night, so she wouldn’t be home until late. Lena somehow managed to pick up the girls from daycare. She listened to Allie prattle on about what she’d learned in preschool, and throughout the evening she made dinner, bathed both girls, put Allie to bed with two stories and a song, and nursed Lily to sleep before putting her in her crib. 

She thought that a hot shower might help calm her down, but all she could think about was Mon-El. Lena had vague memories of him when he was still living on Earth as “Mike”. He was good-looking in a boyish way, but when he’d come back as Valor, with several years, 25 added pounds of muscle, and a manly beard on his face, he’d been downright dashing. She could only imagine that several more years would have made him even more handsome. And then look at her- stretch marks all over her stomach, thighs, and butt from her two pregnancies, a soft stomach, saggy and distorted breasts from having breastfed almost nonstop for the better part of three years… she was nothing in comparison. Saggy, soft, used-up. 

Lena started to cry, and she was still standing under the stream of water crying when Kara arrived home. Kara’s superhearing picked up her wife’s tears, and she ran into the bathroom.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, pulling open the shower door and stepping into the shower, suit and all. “Are you okay? Are you sick? Hurt?” She gathered Lena into her arms, and Lena leaned into her wife’s soft embrace, still sobbing. Kara rubbed her back and whispered into her ear, trying to soothe whatever was hurting her. 

She turned off the water and gently picked Lena up and carried her into the room. As gently as if Lena was one of their daughters, she dried her with a towel as she cried, then helped her change into a soft nightgown. Kara speeded out of her suit and put on a soft, well-worn t-shirt and sleep shorts. Lena was still crying, so Kara pulled her into her lap. 

“What’s wrong, baby? Why are you hurting? How can I help?”

“It’s Mon-El,” Lena said, her voice coming in hiccupping sobs (she knew now where Allie got it from). “He’s coming to the wedding.”

“Of course he is,” Kara said, kissing away Lena’s tears and smoothing back her damp hair. “He’s Brainy’s friend. What of it?”

“He and Imra broke up,” Lena said. “He’s single, and handsome, and I’m saggy and soft. I’m afraid that…”

Kara looked at her with a hurt expression. “You’re afraid that what? That I’ll leave you for him? Lena, how could you EVER think that?”

Lena buried her head in her hands and cried harder. “Because you LOVED him! And it took you so long to get over him!”

“Yes, Lena, I did love him. But think about what you just said- I LOVED him. Past tense. I LOVE you. Present tense. I love you NOW. I’ve loved you for years, and I will love you for the rest of my life. I haven’t even thought of Mon-El since way before you and I got together. I’ve been over him for a long, long, LONG time.”

“Did you know his marriage had ended?”

“Yes,” Kara said. “Brainy told me. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think it mattered. He doesn’t matter. He doesn’t matter to me, he doesn’t matter to you, and he doesn’t matter to our family. What’s past is past. He’s part of my past. You’re my present, and my future. My love for you is endless, Lena. I don’t want you to ever doubt that.”

“I know that, I do,” Lena said. “I just… I got scared.”

“Why?” Kara said. “Do you think that I’m the type of person that would leave you like that?” Her voice was filled with disappointment and hurt.

“No,” Lena said. “But I saw Lionel do it, and I thought….”

“I’m not Lionel Luthor,” Kara said. “When we got married, and I vowed to love you forever in sickness and in health, through richer times and poorer times, I meant it. There is nothing and no one that will make me stop loving you.”

“Are you mad?”

“No,” Kara said. “I’m hurt, and disappointed, but I’m not mad.” She leaned forward to place a series of soft kisses against Lena’s cheek and jaw. “I’ll love you forever, Lena Luthor, and I mean that. You’ve given me a life, and a family, and so, so much love. You’re the most beautiful woman on the planet. In the whole universe. I’m so, so attracted to you. I always have been and always will be. You never have to doubt that.”

Kara nuzzled into the soft spot in Lena’s neck that she loved so much, right below her ear. Lena let out a soft sigh. “Mon-El never meant a fraction to me what you do. You, Lena Luthor, are my world. You don’t ever have to worry about that.”

Lena sniffed. “I know. I’ve just been feeling insecure.”

“Why?” Kara asked. “You’re so sexy to me.”

“I just… I look like a mom now,” Lena said simply.

“Because you ARE a mom,” Kara said. “And that’s one of the things that I love most about you. I love those two little girls with all my being, and YOU grew them! You grew them for 9 months in your body, and you’ve nurtured them with your body when you breastfeed. How could I not think that’s sexy? And hey- I’m a mom, too. Do you still think I’m sexy when I haven’t washed my hair in three days, or when I’m exhausted because Allie’s thrown tantrums about everything all day, or when I’m covered in spit up?”

Lena gave off a soft laugh. “You know I do.”

“Then trust me when I say that I think that you are the sexiest woman in the entire universe. You’re the only person I have eyes for. You don’t have to be jealous of anyone else, ever. You’re mine and I’m yours. Promise.”  
“Will you talk to him at the wedding?” Lena asked in a small voice.

“I’ll say hi,” Kara said, placing reassuring kisses down Lena’s jaw. “But I’ll make sure that you’re on my arm, and I’ll be sure that he catches us making out on the dance floor so he won’t get any funny ideas.”

“Kara!” Lena said with a giggle. 

“What? I’ve gotta show him how much I love my wife and the mother of my children. Speaking of which… let me show YOU how much I love you…”

Kara’s kisses moved down and down, and Lena’s giggles turned into moans, and for the rest of the night, Kara showed Lena EXACTLY what she loved about her, and any fears that Lena had about jealousy or Mon-El quickly vanished into nothing.


	45. Mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A typical morning in the Luthor-Danvers household.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the sweet domestic fluff that we all know and love!

Lena Luthor liked mornings. She always had. There was something invigorating about the start of a new day: the chance for new successes, the chance to learn new things, the chance to become a better person. There was always an opportunity for a fresh start. 

Kara, on the other hand, was not a morning person. She and Lena had discovered their opposite morning personas very quickly after they started dating. Lena was up at the crack of dawn, her alarm going off at the “ungodly hour” (according to Kara) of 5:15 a.m. Lena had already showered, dressed, put on makeup, enjoyed a cup of coffee, and made it halfway through the morning’s crossword puzzle by the time that Kara even entertained the idea of getting out of bed. And when she DID get out of bed, she was a sight to behold- sweaty, red-faced, bed-head everywhere, mumbling and groaning as she made her way to the kitchen. Luckily, she had Lena to coax her out of bed with the promise of sweet cereal or donuts, even sweeter coffee, and plenty of kisses. Sometimes, if Kara was being extra difficult, Lena even promised that she would let Kara spend a few minutes feeling her up while before she left for work, which usually did the trick of finally getting Kara to finally leave the bed. 

The addition of their daughters changed their morning routine. It prompted Lena to sleep a bit later in the morning, so that her waking up would align better with the baby’s eating and sleeping schedule. And it prompted Kara to get out of bed earlier than she would’ve wished, so that she could make breakfast for the family while Lena got ready for work. Both Lena and Kara found that they actually loved their new morning routine. It looked a little like this:

Lena woke up a little before 6:30 to the sound of soft cooing coming from the co-sleeper next to her. She opened her eyes to see the pale green eyes of her five-month-old daughter, exactly like her own, looking back at her. 

“Good morning, Sunshine,” Lena whispered. “Are you ready to start your day?”

Lily gave her a wide, gummy smile in response. She had grown into a chubby, happy baby, with Lena’s green eyes and straight, dark hair, and Kara’s wide smile and irrepressible pout. She was a sweet, easy baby who loved kisses, cuddles, and tickles, especially if they came from her big sister, who was easily her favorite person in the entire universe. 

Lena sat up and picked up her daughter, taking a few minutes to give her the kisses and cuddles she knew she loved so much. As Lily nuzzled into her neck, Lena relished the smell of her baby: baby shampoo, lavender lotion, and just a hint of milk. It was warm, fresh, and almost intoxicating, and one of her favorite things in the world. Lena had never particularly been interested in babies or motherhood, but now that she had two children of her own, she could never imagine her life without them in it. So much of motherhood continued to amaze her: the primal and instinctual need to comfort her daughters when they were hurt, sick, or upset; the fact that each of them fit just perfectly against her stomach and chest when she cuddled them close, even though it had been months or years since she had carried them inside her (and how they fit perfectly in Kara’s embrace, too); watching them grow into their own unique personalities. Allie was friendly, funny, strong-willed, and protective, while Lily was much more pliable and go-with-the-flow, but also seemed a bit more shy than her sister had at the same age. Lena couldn’t wait to see what kind of girls, and later women, her daughters would become. 

Lily, hungry after almost six hours without eating, began rooting around for a nipple, and Lena undid her top so that she could feed her baby. She gently stroked Lily’s soft hair as she nursed, and also stroked the tiny hand that clutched at her shirt. These quiet moments, just her and Lily, were some of her favorites during the day. It was a sweet and special bonding time that just the two of them enjoyed. Breastfeeding could be exhausting and even painful at times, but these moments made it more than worth it. 

After Lily had finished nursing, Lena glanced over at Kara, who was still sprawled out, fast asleep, on the bed next to her. She gently moved Kara’s hair aside and stroked her back. 

“Wakey, wakey…” she whispered. Kara grumbled in response, then turned over to bury her head in her pillow and let out a muffled groan. “Come on, Sleepyhead, it’s time to get up.”

Kara turned to look at Lena. “Do I have to?”

“Yup,” Lena said. 

Kara groaned again. “Don’t want to.”

“I know, darling,” Lena said, shifting Lily to one arm so that she could rub her wife’s back. “But we’ve got a busy day ahead of us. I have a 9:30 board meeting, and Allie’s got her playdate with Josie at 10.”

Kara just grumbled. 

Lena laughed softly. “Tell you what- I’ll wake Allie up and get started on breakfast. You and Lily can snuggle in bed for a little while longer.”

Kara finally smiled. “Okay, Lily snuggles are worth getting up for.”

Lena leaned forward and placed a kiss on Kara’s lips. “I thought you’d say that.” She placed Lily on Kara’s chest. Lily nuzzled in contentedly, and as she got out of bed, Lena heard Kara giving Lily gentle kisses and singing softly to her. The sound of her wife singing to their baby never failed to completely warm Lena’s heart; Kara loved their girls so big and wide that it almost hurt to watch. 

Lena quietly made her way down the hall to Allie’s room. Like Kara, Allie was NOT a morning person. It typically took a few minutes of kisses, cuddles, and coaxes to finally get her out of bed. 

When Lena entered the room, Allie was still fast asleep. Lena turned off the white noise machine that Allie had used to sleep since she was a baby, and then sat on the bed next to her daughter. She rubbed her back gently and started singing what Allie had termed “The Wake-Up Song.” Kara or Lena, whoever was waking her up in the morning, ALWAYS sang it to her. 

“Good morning to you, good morning to you, we’re all in good places with sunshiney faces…” Lena sang softly as she continued to rub her daughter’s back. Allie was slow to wake up, so after singing the song a few times, Lena moved aside Allie’s dark curls, wild and untamed just like Kara’s were in the morning, and placed soft kisses at the nape of her neck. Allie finally let out a squeaky yawn and turned over to face Lena.

“Good morning, Baby Bear,” Lena whispered. Allie’s eyes squinted open, and she immediately reached out her arms for her mommy. Lena pulled Allie into her lap, and Allie immediately started sucking her thumb as she nuzzled into Lena’s neck. Lena placed a kiss on Allie’s head and stroked her hair gently, and continued humming softly to her. 

Allie breathed in deeply. “You smell like Mommy,” she said sleepily.

“Of course I smell like Mommy, Silly Goose,” Lena whispered, giving Allie another kiss. “I AM Mommy!”

“No, sometimes when you wake me up you don’t smell like Mommy. You smell fancy, like flowers. But I like when you smell like Mommy, best.” 

Lena smiled. Allie must mean that Lena smelled differently after she had showered and put on perfume. It made sense that Allie recognized her smell; Lena had read that babies recognized their mothers’ scents, so Lena’s natural scent, as well as Kara’s, must have been warm and comforting for Allie. 

Lena continued cuddling with Allie for a few minutes in bed before asking, “Do you want to go tell Mama and Lily that it’s time to get up?”

“Uh huh,” Allie said. “I missed Lily last night.” Allie adored her baby sister. They were developing some moments of sibling rivalry now that Lily was more alert and active (Allie had a meltdown the day before when Lily grabbed the block she was playing with and it took Kara over 20 minutes to calm her down), but overall they already had a close bond that was extremely touching to witness. 

“Okay,” Lena said. “Let’s go see what they’re up to.” She stood up and held Allie against her hip as they walked back into Kara and Lena’s bedroom. 

“Mama and Lily, someone wanted to see you all,” Lena said as they entered the room. Kara was sitting up in bed and had propped Lily up against her knees, and was making funny faces to make the baby laugh. 

“Allie!” Kara whispered excitedly as Lena sat down on the bed. Allie, still quite sleepy, crawled over to Kara. Kara put her arm around her elder daughter and pursed her lips, and Allie leaned forward to give her a kiss. 

“Good morning, Baby Bear,” Kara said. “Did you have a good night?”

“Uh huh,” Allie said. 

“All good dreams?” 

“Yeah,” Allie said. It had been over a week since her last nightmare, which was a blessing. 

Lily gave off an excited squeal when she saw her sister. 

“Your sister wants to tell you good morning, too,” Kara said. 

“’Morning, Lily,” Allie said sleepily before leaning over to give her sister a kiss on the cheek. Lily excitedly grabbed on to Allie’s hair and shoved a fistful in her mouth. 

“Owwwwwwwww!” Allie cried loudly as Lily simply giggled. “Lily that hurts!”

“Okay, okay, Lily, let go of Sissy’s hair,” Kara said, prying Allie’s hair out of Lily’s vicelike grip. Kara, Lena, and Allie had all been victims of the dreaded “Elizabeth Luthor-Danvers hair grab” at this point, so Kara and Lena knew Allie’s pain. 

Allie leaned back against Kara and let out an unhappy “Hrmph.”

“Well, I guess we’re all awake now,” Lena said with a smile. “I need to get a shower, babe,” she said to Kara. “Can you get breakfast, ready?”

“Yep,” Kara said. 

Lena gave all three of her girls a kiss before heading into the bathroom to start getting ready. Kara coaxed Allie out of bed with the promise of French toast sticks for breakfast. Allie, suddenly very awake, ran into the kitchen while Kara followed behind carrying Lily. 

Kara placed Lily in her Bumpo seat on the counter and gave her a Sophie the Giraffe toy to chew on, and then helped Allie into her booster seat at the bar. She grabbed a coloring book and some crayons so that Allie could color while she waited for breakfast, and poured her a sippy cup of milk. Allie was content to sip on her milk and color while Kara made coffee and prepared breakfast for everyone: French toast sticks and some sliced strawberries for Allie, oatmeal with sliced strawberries for Lena, and a green smoothie for herself. She would’ve much preferred her favorite breakfast of either donuts or 8 PopTarts, but she was trying to set a somewhat healthier example for her daughters of what a balanced breakfast looked like, and even Kara had to admit that donuts every morning was pretty unbalanced (donuts and PopTarts were a special treat, because come on- you couldn’t expect her to totally cut them out of her diet!). 

Lena came into the kitchen, showered, hair dry, and makeup on, but only wearing her bra and underwear. Lena usually ate breakfast in her underwear because Allie was still a messy eater, and she’d had more than one outfit ruined by syrupy hands trying to give her a hug. 

“Why does Mommy like being nakey all the time?” Allie asked as she took a bite of strawberry. 

“It’s because she’s so pretty,” Kara said. “When you have a body like your mommy’s, you can walk around your house naked as much as you want.” Kara gave Lena a wink, and Lena rolled her eyes. 

“Can I walk around nakey?” Allie asked. 

“No,” Lena said, coming up behind Allie to give her a hug and a kiss. “Not that it stops you.” Allie was known to run around the apartment naked after bathtime with her mothers running frantically behind her trying to catch her. 

“Wanna bite of French toast?” Allie asked Lena. She held out one of her sticks for Lena. Lena took a small bite, hummed in appreciation, then kissed Allie’s cheek in thanks. 

Allie finished her breakfast while Kara and Lena were still eating, so Kara took her out of her booster seat and placed her on the counter beside Lily. Both mothers smiled as they watched Allie give Lily kisses and blow raspberries against her cheek to make her giggle. 

“A lot different than what our mornings used to look like,” Lena said as she spooned a bite of oatmeal into her mouth. “I can’t remember the last time I did a crossword puzzle.”

“It’s definitely different,” Kara agreed. “But I wouldn’t change anything about it for the world.”

“Neither would I,” Lena said. “I can’t think of a better way to start my day than with my three favorite girls.”


	46. Supergirl is Cool, but Mama is my Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allie is obsessed with Supergirl... and Kara is a little jealous!

Thousands of children around National City loved Supergirl, but none of them loved her more, perhaps, than one Alura Luthor-Danvers.

Allie’s love of Supergirl almost bordered on an obsession. She had Supergirl pajamas, a Supergirl hoodie, and a Supergirl doll that she played with on a daily basis. She loved playing Supergirl and saving her moms or her sister from fictional enemies. Whenever Supergirl appeared on the television, she stopped whatever she was doing and ran to the tv, letting out an awed “Woooooooooooow,” as she stared at the blonde hero. 

Kara and Lena even realized that they could even bribe Allie with the simple words “Supergirl does.”

“I don’t wanna eat my broccoli. It’s YUCKY,” Allie said one night as she angrily poked at the broccoli that was growing cold on her plate. 

“You need to eat your broccoli, sweetheart,” Lena said in an exhausted voice. At almost three, Allie had become extraordinarily strong-willed, a trait she’d inherited from both her mothers, and it could make getting her to do even the smallest tasks painfully difficult. “It’s healthy for you. It’ll help you grow big and strong.”

“Don’t want to be strong,” Allie grumped, her face contorted in a deep frown, complete with a mini-crinkle between her eyes that was an exact miniature of Kara’s. “Lily doesn’t have to eat broccoli,” she said, pointing to Lily, who was sitting in her Bumbo seat on the table next to Lena and chewing on Sophie the Giraffe. Lily gave Lena an innocent look that said, “Hey, leave me out of this.”

“That’s because Lily’s a baby,” Lena said. “She can only drink Mommy’s milk right now. She’ll start eating real food next month, and once she gets a little bigger she’ll eat broccoli, too. But you’re a big girl, and you need to eat your broccoli now.”

Allie just made more grumbling noises in response.

“Just try one bite,” Lena said with a sigh. “Please, just one.”

“NO.”

“Alura Alexandra…” Lena said in her no-nonsense mom voice. Allie was veering dangerously close to a timeout. 

“You know,” Kara said suddenly, “Supergirl told me that broccoli is her favorite vegetable.”

The mention of Supergirl made Allie perk up. “Really?”

“Yup,” Kara said sunnily. “She said she eats it every night. That’s how she gets to be so strong and fast.”

Allie’s eyes grew big as saucers, and she started shoving broccoli in her mouth at an almost frantic pace. 

After checking to make sure that Allie wasn’t going to choke on her broccoli, Lena turned to Kara. “So Supergirl likes broccoli, huh?” She raised her eyebrow suggestively and glanced down at Kara’s plate, which was unsurprisingly devoid of anything green. 

Kara blushed. “SUPERGIRL likes it, I didn’t say I liked it.” 

Lena rolled her eyes. 

They also told Allie that Supergirl always cleaned up her toys; that she would never leave her house wearing underwear on her head like a hat; and that she would never put peanut butter on her little sister’s head to see if it would turn her into a giant peanut (they thankfully caught that one BEFORE she slathered peanut butter on poor Lily). 

And all the while, she had no clue that the hero she so adored was right beside her the whole time: waking her up in the morning with kisses and back rubs; styling her hair in pigtails before going to preschool in the morning; singing to her softly as she drifted to sleep at naptime; playfully splashing her with water as she took a bath. Despite the fact that she had called “Mama!” out to Kara as Supergirl as an infant, an older Allie never made the connection that her Mama and Supergirl were one and the same. 

Allie was particularly excited when she found out that her preschool class was going to be attending a meet-and-greet with Supergirl for National City’s kids at a local park.

Kara was upset. She had no clue Allie’s class was going to be attending! Parents were coming as chaperones, and she loved chaperoning Allie’s class activities and watching as her daughter discovered new things. But she couldn’t back out of the event- J’onn was going on a short trip off-world, and couldn’t pretend to be Supergirl while she got to be Mama for the day. 

“I can’t come with you on your class trip to meet Supergirl like I usually do,” she told Allie sadly. “Ms. Grant wants me to work that day.” She expected Allie to be disappointed, maybe even cry. What she DIDN’T expect was for Allie to shrug it off like nothing was wrong.

“That’s okay. I don’t need you, I have Supergirl.”

Kara felt the words like a dagger straight to the heart. 

She cried a little bit as she told Lena about it that night. 

Lena placed a gentle kiss on her lips and rubbed her arm reassuringly. “I know it hurt your feelings,” she said kindly, wiping away a stray tear with her thumb. She gave Kara a reassuring smile. 

Kara sniffed. “I felt like she wanted to be with Supergirl more than she wanted to be with me. It made me feel jealous. Rao, it’s so stupid- I’m jealous OF MYSELF.”

“You’re not jealous of Supergirl,” Lena said. “You’re jealous of Supergirl’s public persona, and that’s not you. It’s fake; it doesn’t exist. Supergirl is so much more than that, and Kara Danvers is so much more than Supergirl. You’re Allie’s mother. Supergirl isn’t. Allie loves you, and she needs you.”

Kara smiled slightly. “Doesn’t mean that it still doesn’t hurt a little bit.”

“I know,” Lena said gently, softly nosing at Kara’s cheek. “Your first time getting your feelings hurt by your daughter. The first of many, I’m afraid. Eliza told me once that the first time she tells us she hates us is a bad one.”

Kara gave off a soft laugh. “Alex must have told Eliza that she hated her at least three times a week when we were in high school. They always made up and exchanged ‘I love yous,’ in the end, though.”

Lena kissed Kara again, softly and slowly, and rested their foreheads together. “That’s how it will be with us, too. Motherhood’s not easy. No one ever said it was. There’s going to be hurt feelings, on both sides. But Allie loves you so, so much. Never, ever forget that. You’re her Mama, and that’s something that Supergirl can never, ever be.” After one last kiss, she whispered, “Now let’s go to bed,” against Kara’s lips, and the matter was dropped for the next few days.

**  
The meet and greet went as smoothly as they all did: little kids excited to see her, begging for hugs, pressing their sticky, snotty faces against her cheek (Kara thanked Rao that she couldn’t get sick, as she was sure that she was crawling in germs). She answered all the questions that they asked her: “Does Supergirl wear her suit under her pajamas?”- Of course!(Kara wore normal pajamas like everyone else, but she didn’t want to ruin the image). “Do you like cats or dogs better?” I like them both the same! (Although Streaky begged to differ). “Could you beat Superman in arm wrestling?”- Duh!

Finally, it was Allie’s turn to meet Supergirl. Surprisingly enough, Kara had been dreading it all day. She hated having to keep the Supergirl persona on in front of her daughter: calm, cool, collected, and strong. She wanted to be her usual cuddly, silly mama-self, and wanted to do nothing more than cover her daughter’s face with kisses and snuggle her close as she sat on her lap rather than stare down at her awe-filled face and pretend like she didn’t know her, pretend like she wasn’t the must precious thing in the world to her. 

“Supergirl,” Allie said in an awe-filled whisper. “It’s you.”

“It is me,” Kara said in her Supergirl voice. “And what’s your name?” she asked, ignoring the way her heart constricted. She KNEW her name; she had picked out her name.

“Allie,” she whispered, then ducked her head, suddenly shy. 

“That’s a nice name,” Kara said, inwardly cringing at how fake everything way. “Did you want to talk with me about anything?” Kara instinctually reached out to stroke Allie’s cheek, her usual method of getting her to look up, and hoped that no one saw. 

Allie looked back up at her. “Do you like broccoli?” she asked suddenly. “My Mama said that it was your favorite.”

Supergirl nodded firmly. “Your Mama’s right. Broccoli is my favorite vegetable. I eat it for dinner every night. Do you like broccoli?”

“Yeah,” Allie said. “I like it ‘cause you do.”

“Good,” Supergirl said with a smile.

“Can I be a superhero when I grow up, too?” Allie asked in a small voice.

Kara leaned down so that she was whispering in Allie’s ear. “You can absolutely be a superhero. You don’t have to have super strength or be able to fly to be a hero; all of the heroes I know are ordinary people who do extraordinary. You’re an EXTRAORDINARY person who will do extraordinary things, Allie. I know it.” That, at least, was true. Kara knew that whether Allie developed powers or not, she was going to do great things one day, and both of her moms were so excited to see what kind of woman she would become. 

That answer finally earned a smile. “Thanks, Supergirl,” Allie said. “You’re my favorite.”

“You’re my favorite, too,” Kara said, meaning it with all her heart. Allie reached out and gave her a hug, and Kara’s heart melted, but then remembered that the hug wasn’t for her. It was for Supergirl. 

“Okay, Allie, let’s let Connor have a turn with Supergirl,” said her teacher, interrupting the moment. 

“Bye, Supergirl,” Allie said, turning around to wave as she hopped away to go play with her friends. “I met SUPERGIRL!” she called out in a squeal, clearly on top of the world. 

Kara met with a few more children as the others played a game of chase around her. Suddenly she heard a loud scream, one full of pain and fear. She instantly knew that it was Allie, and the maternal pull to run to her child, to help her and protect her, won out over her need to protect her identity. She ran over to where Allie was sprawled on the ground, her knee a bloody mess. She must have fallen on the concrete while chasing on of her friends. One of the teachers was already kneeling beside her. 

“It’s okay, Allie, you just took a tumble. You scraped your knee, it’s not bad,” her teacher said reassuringly.

Allie was still screaming, tears streaming down her face, which was growing redder by the second. It was all Kara could do to keep from scooping her up immediately, taking her little girl in her arms and kissing her knee, whispering words of comfort, trying to make it better. But she COULDN’T, and it was about to kill her.  
“IT HURTS!!!” Allie screamed. 

“I know, but it won’t hurt for long,” her teacher said. “And look, Supergirl came to see if you were okay.”

Allie took half a glance at Kara before wailing, “I don’t want her, I want my Mama!” 

Kara’s heart almost stopped: Allie didn’t want Supergirl. She wanted KARA. 

“I know Ms. Danvers,” Kara said. “I can get her, and bring her back here.”

“Could you?” the teacher asked. They could both tell that Allie wasn’t going to be calmed easily. 

“I’ll be right back.” She took off in a blaze of light, flew to the apartment, speeded into who-knows-what outfit, and then flew back, landing in a grove of trees and running as fast as she could without using superspeed to get to her daughter. 

“What’s wrong?” Kara asked as she ran up. “Supergirl just grabbed me from my meeting and flew me over here. She said Allie was hurt and needed me. She had another emergency to tend to but…” Kara finally reached Allie, who was still wailing loudly. “Hey, Baby Bear, what’s the matter? Did you fall?”

Allie immediately called out “MAMA!” and reached out her arms for Kara. Kara sat on the ground next to her and pulled her into her lap. Allie stuck her thumb in her mouth and buried her face in Kara’s neck, seeking out whatever skin she could find, as skin-to-skin with her mothers was still one of her favorite comforting mechanisms. Kara unbuttoned the top few buttons of her shirt so that Allie could have better access. 

“It’s okay,” Kara said as she stroked Allie’s hair. “I know that it hurts and that it was scary, but you’re such a big, brave girl. We’ll go home and wash it off and put a Band-Aid on it, okay? It’ll all be better soon.”

Allie, still crying and whimpering softly, nodded against Kara’s neck as she continued to suck her thumb. Cradling her like a baby, Kara stood up and told the teachers that she would take Allie home. 

Thankfully it was only a five-minute walk from the park to their apartment. Kara managed to calm Allie down a bit more with kisses, reassuring words, and soft singing. Allie nestled in to Kara’s shoulder, relishing in the comforting presence and feel of her mother. When they got home, Kara quickly cleaned and bandaged the scraped knee, which truly wasn’t too bad; Allie was more scared than anything. But for the rest of the afternoon, Allie needed to be with Kara at all times, and Kara was more than happy to be the comforting presence her daughter was craving. 

Kara had texted Lena about the ordeal, and when Lena arrived home with Lily that afternoon, she found Kara sprawled out on the couch with Allie fast asleep on top of her chest. Kara was rubbing Allie’s back gently as she slept.

“Hey,” Lena whispered as she came in, getting Lily out of her carrier and walking over to her wife and older daughter. She gave Kara a kiss on the lips, and gave a still-sleeping Allie a kiss on the head. “Hard day?” 

Kara nodded. “Her knee’s not too bad, just a scrape. I think the fall was hard and it scared her. She’s been really clingy with me. She didn’t want me to be out of her sight.” Kara relayed the story about Allie asking for her, not Supergirl, when she was hurt.

“That’s no surprise at all,” Lena said. “You’re her mama. You and I are the ones who comfort her when she’s sad or scared. She was in pain and very frightened. Of course she didn’t want Supergirl- she wanted YOU.”

Kara stroked Allie’s curls gently. “She really did. I couldn’t quite believe it.”

“I can,” Lena said. “No matter what happens, she will ALWAYS be our daughter, and we will ALWAYS be her mothers. We’ll always comfort her, and protect her, and keep her safe and happy, no matter what.”

When asked about meeting Supergirl at dinner, Allie seemed oddly subdued.

“I know you hurt your leg and that was scary, but did you have fun meeting Supergirl anyway?” Lena asked her.

“Uh-huh,” Allie said. “I like Supergirl but…” she gave Kara and Lena a tired smile. “Mommy and Mama are my favorites.” Supergirl may have been a superhero, but for Alura Luthor-Danvers, her REAL heroes were, and forever would be, her mothers.


	47. The Equation of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romantic love on Earth is a confusing concept for a young Kryptonian, so Kara tries to make an equation for finding her perfect romantic partner. And then Lena comes along, and Kara realizes that there are just some things that mathematics can't explain.

When Kara first came to Earth, one of the most puzzling concepts for her to grasp was romantic love. 

On Krypton, love was easy, and it was precise. Your partner was, essentially, chosen for you. The Matricomp used a complicated set of equations and algorithms to determine someone’s ideal partner. You knew that the person that you were going to marry was, for all intents and purposes, your true soulmate. Divorce was nonexistent, and couples seemed to be happy. Kara’s own parents were the perfect example of this. They didn’t often display outward signs of their love. Kara could count on one hand the number of times that she saw them display any physical affection; once she saw her father rubbing her mother’s hand gently after a grueling day at work, and another time she saw them hugging after her father had been away for two weeks. She never saw them kiss, and, looking back as an adult, there was never a sign that they were even having sex with one another. However, they obviously cared deeply for each other, and worked together as partners and as equals in their relationship. They were a mathematically perfect match, and it showed.

Love on Earth was far more complicated: you often had to date many people before you found the one you were going to marry; over half of all marriages failed; you could fall in love with a man, a woman, someone who did not identify with any gender, one person, multiple people, with no one at all… it made Kara’s head spin. 

Kara remembered her first taste of romantic love: Kenny Li, her friend and fellow outcast. After Jeremiah had disappeared and Alex had rejected her, Kenny was the only one who understood her, who made her feel like she wasn’t a loser, and that she wasn’t weird- Kenny made her feel like she was the coolest person in school, the coolest person the world. When she was with Kenny, sometimes she got a funny feeling in her stomach, a feeling that she couldn’t explain. It felt like it did the first time that she flew, but this time, she was solidly on the ground. She started noticing things about him, too: the way his smile quirked to the right when he winked at her when they passed in the hallway; how there was a shadow of stubble above his lip and on his chin when he hadn’t shaved in a few days; how he had a thin layer of soft fuzz on his earlobe. And Kara found herself THINKING certain things about him, too: what it would feel like to touch the fuzz on his earlobe (so, so, soft); what his hand would feel like if it held hers; how that stubble would feel against her cheek, against her neck, against her mouth if Kenny were to kiss her. Thoughts about kissing made her feel even stranger, in her stomach but mostly down below, an area that she knew very little about. Why did she feel that way when she thought about Kenny kissing her? She asked Alex and Alex simply answered with “Oh, GROSS I am not talking about this with you right now,” but still left a new electric toothbrush on Kara’s nightstand the next day with a note on it that simply said “Give this a try when you’re at home BY YOURSELF and start thinking about Kenny.” Kara didn’t know what brushing her teeth had to do with how she felt about Kenny, but for a solid week she brushed her teeth every time she had “those” thoughts about him; it didn’t seem to help (it was only in adulthood that Kara realized what Alex REALLY meant by giving her the toothbrush. Alex howled in laughter when Kara burst into her apartment and yelled “The toothbrush! Alex, were you trying to give me a VIBRATOR when I was 15??”)

But when Kenny tried to kiss her, Kara shied away, even though she wanted nothing more than to kiss him back. Because at that moment, she realized that there was another reason that romantic love on Earth was complicated: she was an alien. She could hurt her partner, badly, if she got lost in the moment. She wasn’t in full control of her powers yet, and she didn’t want to hurt Kenny accidentally. She would work hard at controlling her powers, so that finally, one day, she and Kenny could be together without the risk of her hurting him. 

But that day never happened; Kenny died, and any dreams of loving him died with him. There were others throughout the years, men and women. Most only lasted a date or two before Kara started doing calculations in her head, trying to play the role of the Matricomp for herself before jumping into anything. And with each person, she found that they were mathematically incompatible with one another- there was no way that they would last. 

And then came Lena Luthor. They had started as friends, and then became lovers. And as with everyone, Kara tried to calculate their relationship in her head, using the complicated system of equations that she’d come up with years before. And, mathematically, there was no way that she and Lena would ever work. Lena’s family were the sworn enemies of Kara’s cousin, and they hated everything that Kara was, and that she stood for; even though Lena held none of these opinions, it still mattered in the grand equation of love. There were other little things, too. Lena was an early riser, while Kara struggled to get out of bed. Lena ate a healthy, mostly vegan diet, while Kara lived off of pizza, potstickers, and junk food. Kara was deeply spiritual and still prayed to Rao on a regular basis, while Lena was an ardent atheist. Lena wanted to push the boundaries of science, no matter what the risk or what the cost, while Kara constantly called for her to have more restraint. No matter how many times she ran the numbers, no matter how many times she tweaked the equation, it came up with the same result: she and Lena were not a perfect match. 

But Kara soon realized that there were so, so many parts of their relationship that math simply couldn’t explain. 

There was no equation for the way that Kara’s stomach swooped every time Lena smiled at her; for the way that Lena’s bare shoulder felt beneath Kara’s lips as she held her so tightly in their bed that she could feel their hearts beating as one; for the way Lena sighed contentedly as Kara traced constellations on her back by connecting her moles; for the look on Lena’s face as Kara brought her to the point of orgasm; for the way that Lena held and comforted Kara after one of her teammates died in a fight. There was no algorithm that could explain the way that Kara felt when she came home after a long, hard day at CatCo to find Lena, wearing jeans and one of Kara’s tshirts, had made dinner for them; how Lena knew how to make Kara squirm by licking and sucking on her earlobe, without Kara even having to tell her that it was one of her biggest turn-on spots; how soft the fine fuzz on Lena’s cheeks and chin felt as Kara nuzzled against Lena’s face with her nose. 

And that’s when Kara realized it: math can’t explain love. There was so much more to her love for Lena, and Lena’s love for her, than could be explained by any equation or algorithm. It was complicated, and it was rich, and it was THEIRS. She and Lena may not have had the mathematically perfect relationship, but their relationship was perfect for them. And THAT, Kara realized, was the true equation of love.


	48. Take Your Daughter to Work Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allie goes to LCorp with Lena for some quality mother-daughter bonding time!
> 
> Also, quick note, the Eve in my fic isn't evil. She's nice :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell you how many times I wrote and re-wrote this chapter before finally coming up with something that I'm sort of okay with. I hope that you all enjoy it!

“Mommy! Mama! Mommy! Mama! Mommy! Mama!” The enthusiastic chant echoed down the hall, accompanied by the pitter-patter of little feet running as fast as they good. Within seconds, Allie burst into her mothers’ room enthusiastically. 

“Mommy! Mama!” she shouted again as she took a running leap and tried to jump on the bed. Unfortunately, at 3 Allie wasn’t QUITE big enough to reach, and she landed short on Kara’s side of the bed with a loud “Ooof!” 

Kara, who had been fast asleep when Allie ran into the room, somehow managed to blearily grab Allie beneath the armpits and hoist her up on the bed before collapsing back down against the pillows with a loud groan. 

Lena, who had been feeding Lily in the bed next to Kara when Allie came in, let out a shriek when Lily jerked her head to look at her sister. Lena’s nipple was still in Lily’s mouth, and it felt like her nipple was being yanked off. 

“Ouch, Lily, fuck! I mean, damn! I mean, darn!” she yelled, hoping that Allie didn’t catch any of the swear words she let off. Kara had been really cracking down on swearing in front of the girls after Allie told one of her dolls that she was going to “kick some ass” (Alex was to blame for that one). Alex and Lena both had “swear jars” that they had to put quarters in every time they cursed in front of the kids. Luckily, Allie was too excited to even realize Lena’s mistakes. 

“Allie, stop jumping on the bed,” Lena said, using her no-nonsense “mom voice.” “It’s too early for that. Give us some time to wake up and then you can tell us what you’re so excited about.”

Allie took one last jump, and then landed right on Kara’s back. Kara may have been the Woman of Steel, but at 6 am, it still HURT, and it felt like all 30 pounds of Allie had landed straight on her kidney. Kara let out a yelp, and Allie slid off Kara’s back with a guilty expression on her face and sat at the edge of the bed, facing her mothers and still bouncing slightly with excitement.

“How has she hurt both of us this early in the morning?” Kara said with a groan, rubbing the spot where’s Allie’s knees had connected with her right kidney. 

“I have no clue,” Lena muttered, finally getting Lily to latch back on to her other breast as she massaged the sore nipple with her free hand. 

Finally, after a few minutes of Lena and Kara massaging their injured body parts, Lena finished feeding Lily and motioned for Allie to come and join them. 

As always, the morning didn’t truly start until both Lena and Kara got to love on both their daughters. After 10 minutes or so of kissing, cuddling, and tickling, Kara finally sat up with Allie in her lap and, after giving her daughter one more smacking kiss, asked, “So what has you so excited this early?”

A wide smile stretched across Allie’s face. “I get to work with Mommy today!”

Kara smiled, her own smile an exact larger version of her daughter’s. “How could I forget? It’s Take Your Daughter to Work Day!” 

She and Lena had argued the week before about who got to take her to work with them, since it was the first year that she was really old enough to enjoy it without being (too much of) a nuisance. Lena won, with the promise that Allie would go to CatCo with Kara next year and that she would let Kara choose their sexual activities for the next month.

“Mommy and me are gonna have the most fun ever,” Allie said with a happy sigh, leaning back against Kara’s chest contentedly. 

“We are, aren’t we?” Lena said with a smile, rubbing Allie’s shoulder fondly. “You’ll get to be in my office with me, and I’ll give you a tour of the whole building, and show you the lab, and you’ll get to see Aunt Jess, Aunt Sam, and Eve!” Sam had recently moved back to National City to act as Lena’s CFO again, using the excuse of Ruby attending National City University and that she needed to be closer to her daughter and all her friends. Eve Tessmacher had moved on from CatCo, finally realizing her potential as a scientist with LCorp and heading the laboratory division. She was a true asset to LCorp and had actually become a solid friend of Lena’s in their time working together (although Kara hadn’t gotten over the time she caught Eva and Mon-El almost having sex, and was still a bit awkward around her). 

“I get to see the lab?” Allie asked, wonder in her voice. She had been to LCorp many times, but was limited to either Lena’s or Jess’s office, and was not allowed in the lab. 

“You do!” Lena said, a smile stretched widely across her face. Lena had taken extra precautions to ensure that, even if just for the day, the lab would be more “kid friendly.” She’d even had a custom lab coat, an exact miniature of her own, with “Allie Luthor-Danvers” embroidered on it. There were also tiny goggles to go with the lab coat. Lena couldn’t WAIT to see Allie’s reaction. 

Lena leaned forward and kissed Allie’s shoulder. “Now, why don’t you go have breakfast with Mama and Lily while I go get a shower.”

“I wanna take a shower too!” Allie said. “I wanna be just like you.”

Lena’s heart swelled at Allie’s words, and by the look on Kara’s face, she knew that her wife felt the exact same way. 

“Okay, then, let’s go and get clean!” Lena said. She handed Lily over to Kara and picked Allie up, resting her against her hip. 

“What do you two ladies want me to make you for breakfast?” Kara asked. “Do you want eggs again, Allie?”

“I want what Mommy’s having,” Allie said. Lena felt her heart swell again. 

“I’m having oatmeal,” Lena said. She ate oatmeal most mornings. “Do you want Mama to make you oatmeal how you like it?” Lena ate her oatmeal plain with a bit of fruit, but Kara always made Allie’s with a little maple syrup and cinnamon mixed in for sweetness. 

“Yeah!” Allie said, nodding vigorously. “With strawberries!”

“Oatmeal with strawberries coming right up,” Kara said, getting out of bed with Lily in her arms. “Now you two go get your shower and breakfast will be ready when you get out.”

Lena carried Allie into the bathroom and sat on the toilet seat as she helped Allie take off her pajamas before instructing her to put them in the dirty clothes hamper (putting her dirty clothes in the hamper was one of Allie’s first chores, along with setting the table for dinner- Lena and Kara were both adamant that their girls have chores as they grew up, just like any other child did). 

Allie did an excited little jig as Lena took off her camisole and sleep shorts and handed them to her to put in the dirty clothes hamper. “I get to be just like Mommy!”

“You do!” Lena said as she opened the door of the shower and cut the water on, sticking her hand in to test for the temperature. Lena usually liked piping hot showers, but she made sure that it wasn’t too hot so that Allie would be comfortable. 

“Okay, my little wiggle worm, come over here so we can get clean!” Lena said, motioning for Allie to come join her in the shower. 

Allie spent the entire shower giggling in excitement. She stuck her head under the stream of water and opened her mouth to drink the water, splashed around in the drain, twirled under the stream, and then ran over to Lena to give her a big hug, burying her face in her stomach happily. Lena stroked her daughter’s wet curls lovingly. 

“I’m so excited to have you come to work with me today, Baby Bear,” she said. Allie removed her face from Lena’s stomach and gave Lena a proud smile. “Now, let’s start washing!”

Lena massaged some baby shampoo in Allie’s curls, earning a content “Ahhhhhhhh” from her daughter. She then squirted some of her own shower gel on a washcloth and washed Allie’s body before washing her own hair and body. She knelt down and let Allie wash her hair, which thrilled the little girl. 

Allie giggled when she smelled her arm with the shower gel on it. “I smell like Mommy!” 

Lena smiled so widely that she could feel her eyes squinting. “You do! You’re my little mini-me.”

When Lena called Allie her mini-me, her chest puffed up with pride. 

“Okay, hold your breath so that I can wash all the soap off!” Lena said once they were both well-scrubbed. Allie inhaled deeply and held her breath with her cheeks comically puffed out as Lena ran her hands through Allie’s hair, making sure that there were no more soap suds. 

“All done!” Lena said, reaching to cut the water off. She helped Allie out of the shower and toweled her off gently before drying herself. She combed out Allie’s hair, which was still short enough that it could mostly air-dry on its own. She then found a pair of underwear for Allie, and put her in a little bathrobe so that she wouldn’t get cold.

Lena pressed a kiss to Allie’s curls. “Why don’t you go eat breakfast while I dry my hair and put makeup on?”

Allie stuck out her lip in the famous Danvers pout. “I wanna eat with you.”

Lena could feel a tantrum coming on, so she tried to do damage control. “I know, but you’ll get to eat lunch with me. We’re going to get something from Noonan’s.”

“Ooooookaaaaaaay,” Allie pouted glumly, but she went off to the kitchen nonetheless.

Lena dried her hair quickly and put on basic makeup, much lighter than she usually wore to work since she had a feeling she’d be participating in some kid-friendly experiments with Allie in R&D. 

Like every morning, she sauntered into the kitchen wearing nothing but her bra and underwear, since she didn’t want to get her (very expensive) work clothes dirty.

She entered the kitchen to Allie happily eating her oatmeal and watching an episode of Peppa Pig on the iPad as Kara ate a very large bowl of some revolting kind of sugary cereal next to her (Frosted Choco-Puffs, thank you very much!). Lily was in her Bumbo beside Kara, chewing on her Sophie the giraffe. She gave off an excited squeal when Lena entered the room. 

Lena rolled her eyes when she saw Kara gaping at her (“It’s really unfair that you go parading your boobs around like that so early in the morning and I can’t even DO anything about it!”), and gave Allie a wink when she sat on the barstool beside her and tucked in to her matching bowl of oatmeal. As she ate, Kara gently rubbed the small of Lena’s back. Lena’s heart tugged at the NORMALNESS of it all, something that she never had growing up. How did she get to be this lucky?

The few peaceful minutes of breakfast were quickly interrupted by the need to get ready for the day. Lena got dressed (a red Armani blouse and a black skirt with a matching blazer, an outfit that was well over $1,000) while Kara strapped Lily to her chest with a Moby wrap and got Allie ready for the day. She put Allie’s hair into a little ponytail and dressed her in a comfortable blue play dress from Zara, a matching cardigan, and Mary Jane shoes. 

Lena, Kara, and the girls met at the front door. “You look ready for work!” Lena said to Allie. 

Allie nodded excitedly. “I picked out my dress and Mama did my hair.”

“Mama’s the best at doing hair,” Lena said, giving Kara a wink and a quick peck on the lips. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah!” Allie said excitedly. She picked up her “briefcase” (a Paw Patrol backpack with a few books, art supplies, and toys in it) to take to work with her. It was no surprise that Lena ALSO had a bag that she brought to work with her, although hers was much larger and held a laptop, some documents from LCorp featuring a new product design that she had been reading up on, and a Medela breast pump (Kara called it “The Badass Working Mom Bag” and Lena didn’t disagree).

Allie and Lena both gave Kara and Lily lots of kisses goodbye. Kara and Lily were going to have their own “Mama-Daughter date,” getting brunch at a neighborhood cafe and spending time at the park on the swings and at the dog park, which Lily loved. Sometimes Lena and Kara were afraid that poor Lily often got the short end of the stick, being the youngest, and even though she was only six months old, they tried to give her some special time and attention each day. 

Lena drove herself and Allie to LCorp in the Audi Q7, and by the time they walked in the special back entrance that lead to Lena’s private elevator, Allie was buzzing with excitement. 

“I wanna make a big BOOM!” Allie said, gesticulating wildly.

“I don’t know if we can make a BIG boom. Maybe a little boom,” Lena said with a smile. She had already bought baking soda and vinegar to make a “volcano;” that should suffice as a little boom. 

When the elevator dinged, Allie ran out of the elevator like a bat out of hell. 

Sam was the first person that she saw. 

“AUNT SAM!” she cried loudly, launching herself into Sam’s arms. Sam caught her and hoisted her up over her head, twirling her around, before settling her on her hip and giving her a big hug and a series of smacking kisses on the cheek. 

“Hey, Baby Girl!” Sam said happily. “I was looking for you!”

“I get to work like you and Mommy today,” Allie said proudly. 

“You do!” Sam said. “I can’t wait to hang out with you today. It’s going to be so much fun.”

“Remember when you brought Ruby to work?” Lena said as she joined them, giving Sam a wry smile.

“Oh, God, don’t remind me!” Sam said with a groan. Ruby was four, and Sam had just taken an entry-level job in the Luthor Corp finance division. Ruby had been learning the differences between “boys and girls,” and the first thing that she asked Lena upon meeting her was “Do you have a penis or a vagina?” Sam was MORTIFIED, Ruby had no memory of it whatsoever but was retroactively mortified, and Lena thought that it was hilarious but learned to start teaching her daughters about what was “appropriate” and “inappropriate” to discuss in public early on.

“Do you want me and Aunt Sam to give you the grand tour?” Lena asked. 

“YEAH!” Allie said excitedly. She had been to LCorp countless times, but was really only allowed in Lena’s office. 

Sam put Allie down and she ran to Lena excitedly and clutched her hand as Lena showed her the LCorp executive floor: all the meeting rooms with the giant screens, all the executive assistants running around like crazy, Sam’s office in the finance division and the giant fish tank in the middle of the room (which Allie LOVED, and was thrilled when she got to help feed the fish), and she even got to go into Jess’s office to greet her aunt. 

“AUNT JESS!” she squealed excitedly, this time launching herself into Jess’s lap while Jess was just finishing up a conference call. Jess was, at this point, a VP at LCorp and a trusted advisor (in addition to being Lena’s sister-in-law).

“Hey, Nugget!” Jess said, giving her niece a quick kiss on the cheek. “I forgot you were coming today!”

“Is Hannah here?” Allie asked, looking for signs of her cousin. They were four years apart but were thick as thieves, and Allie was constantly trying to keep up with whatever Hannah was doing. 

“She’s not, she went to work with Aunt Alex today,” Jess said. At the stricken look on Allie’s face, she added, “But if you want, you can come over for dinner tomorrow and you two can play.”

“Yeah!” Allie said happily, forgetting her momentary disappointment in her excitement about getting to see her cousin. 

“So Alex won out again this year?” Lena said. 

“Yeah,” Jess said with a sigh. “I guess jumping around in the sparring room and playing video games with Winn all day is far more exciting than anything we do here.” Hannah was already developing a knack for technology that Alex and Jess were both trying to cultivate; she’d already attended a kids’ programming course, which she loved.

Lena gave off a dramatic sigh. “I guess we just can’t compete with video games and sparring.” She turned to Allie and gave her a big smile. “But there’s one last thing I need to show you- Research and Development!”

They took the elevator downstairs to the R&D department, which took up 3 whole floors and was, by far, the biggest department in LCorp. It was headed by no other than Ms. Eve Teschmaker. 

Allie was wide-eyed in wonder as they entered the R&D labs. “Woooooooooooow,” she said in a breathy whisper, taking it all in. 

Lena tugged on Allie’s hand. “Remember, safety first in the labs! That means you need to wear a coat and goggles at all times.” Lena pointed to wear two lab coats were hanging up, and the look on Allie’s face when she realized that one was hers, and it was JUST like her Mommy’s, was priceless. Lena was able to catch a picture of it to show to Kara later.

“You get to be just like Mommy and Eve today!” Lena said excitedly. 

“Yeah!” Allie said, doing a happy little jig as Eve helped her put on her miniature lab coat and goggles. 

They toured the whole of the R&D labs, seeing what projects were being worked on (the truly dangerous ones had been put away for the sake of Allie’s visit). Allie was curious about what everything was, what the scientists were doing, and, of course, if Mommy had helped design any of it (she had helped design most of it). 

“Do you want to help us with a really important experiment?” Lena asked when they got to lab station set up with the “volcano.”

“Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” Allie said. “Do we get to make a BOOM!”

Lena smiled. “We get to make a boom.”

“Yay!”

Lena helped Allie measure the baking soda into the volcano and pour a bit of red food coloring on top. She then helped her carefully pour vinegar into the hole at the top of the volcano. Allie squealed with joy as the chemical reaction prompted the frothy mixture to bubble out the top. There wasn’t a “boom,” but Allie was thrilled all the same. 

“Look, Mommy! It ‘sploded!” she said. 

“I know!” Lena said. She then proceeded to explain the chemical reaction in a way that a mature and curious three-year-old would understand. Allie hung on to Lena’s every word as if she were afraid to miss any of it. 

They did a few more “kid-appropriate” experiments: making slime, making “gloop” out of cornstarch and water, even the classic “Diet Coke and Mentos” experiment. They played together in R&D for over an hour, and both mother and daughter thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. 

When it was time for lunch, Lena had their favorites from Noonan’s delivered to her office. Lena got a Greek salad with extra kale, while Allie got a grilled cheese sandwich with a side of apple slices. Lena had always promoted a healthy diet for Allie, fearful that she would inherit Kara’s terrible eating habits, and Allie seemed to enjoy her vegetables and fruits a bit more than most toddlers and young children did. However, like all kids, she had developed a liking for pizza, chicken nuggets, and macaroni and cheese, and while she was allowed to enjoy these foods on occasion, Lena did try to limit how much she actually was able to eat them (although she was certain that Kara made mac and cheese for lunch for herself and Allie way more often than she would ever admit to Lena, since it was also one of Kara’s favorite foods). 

Allie and Lena both loved their “Mommy-Daughter Date” for lunch. Allie tried a bit of Lena’s salad, and even offered her a bite of her grilled cheese and apples, which Lena took appreciatively. Lena told jokes that made Allie giggle hysterically (she NEVER guessed that she would ever be the funny mom, nor that her jokes would be a hit among the toddler set), and Allie told Lena a fanciful story about a princess and a teddy bear that she obviously had made up off the top of her head. Lena loved seeing her daughter’s curiosity and creativity come out, as well as to see her funny, smart personality beginning to develop. 

By the end of lunch, Allie started yawning and rubbing at her eyes, and Lena looked at the clock and realized it was her naptime. 

“Getting sleepy, Baby Bear?” she asked. 

“No,” Allie said firmly, but her answer was betrayed by a long, loud yawn. 

“I think you are,” Lena said softly. “Why don’t you go over to my couch and sleep for a little bit?”

“Don’t want to,” Allie said sleepily. “I wanna stay up with you.”

“I know,” Lena said understandingly. “But you also need to sleep so we can have more fun later.”

“Can you get on the couch with me?” Allie asked.

Lena smiled. Unlike the CatCo offices, her LCorp office was more private. The door was closed and locked, so no one would know if she took a little break. 

“Okay,” she responded. “But just for a little while.”

They both made their way to the couch. Lena took off her blazer and lay down on the couch, and Allie climbed on top of her. She put her thumb in her mouth and reached inside the neck of Lena’s blouse to grab her bra strap. Allie had always loved grasping onto bra and tank top straps when she slept on her mothers, and Kara joked that Allie was their “bra strap baby.” Lena pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over them, and Allie nuzzled against Lena’s chest, letting off a contented sigh. Lena stroked her hair, and Allie soon sank into a deep sleep, sucking her thumb and totally surrounded by the comforting presence of her Mommy.

As Allie slept, Lena was struck by how grown up her daughter was getting. She wasn’t a baby anymore, or even a toddler, really; she was a little girl, with thoughts, feelings, big ideas, and an even bigger personality. She was becoming her own little person, and more independent by the day. Lena didn’t know how many more times she would get to do this: enjoy the soft feeling of Allie nestled against her chest, safe and secure. She remembered the first time that she had held Allie, seconds after she was born. There was a feeling of completeness, of knowing that her daughter would always be safe in her arms, and even three years later, that same feeling continued. She wanted to relish this moment, this feeling, while it lasted. 

The next thing she knew, there was someone standing over them.

“Sleeping on the job, Ms. Luthor?” a voice asked. 

Lena blinked a few times, trying to catch her bearings. She smiled when she saw that the voice belonged to none other than her wife, who was smiling at her wife and daughter. Her phone was raised, indicating that she had just taken a picture (or, knowing Kara, several pictures). 

“Guess I was more tired than I thought,” she said, rubbing her hand lightly up and down Allie’s back. Allie was still fast asleep. 

Lena looked at the clock on the wall. “Not too bad, just 30 minutes.”

“I think that one has a little more nap left in her,” Kara said with a smile, looking at Allie, who was completely unaware of anything going on around her. 

“Where’s Lily?” Lena asked. She realized that she had forgotten to pump, and was feeling very uncomfortable. It would be nice to get a feed in before they left. 

“Sam stole her,” Kara said. “She said that she needed to fill her baby cuddle quotient for the day.”

Lena smiled. “Did you two enjoy your park date and brunch?”

“We did!” Kara said. “We went on the swings, and did tummy time on a blanket on the grass, and went for a nice walk. Then I got lunch and Lily was such a good girl.”

“She’s always a good girl,” Lena said. 

“Have you two had a good time? You’ve obviously exhausted her.”

“We had a great time,” Lena replied. “It’s been so fun just to have some one-on-one time with Allie. I feel like between the new baby and work, it’s been hard to get that in. I’ll need to really make it a priority for us. With Lily, too, as she’s getting older. I don’t want to be an absent mother like Lillian was.”

Kara bent down next to her wife and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’re not an absent mother. You’re the BEST mother. The girls love you so, so much. I mean, just look at Allie,” she said, pointing to their sleeping daughter who was nestled against Lena’s chest. “Still our bra strap baby,” she said with a smile, thinking of all the times that Allie had slept like that on her. 

“I did get a little sad earlier,” Lena said. “She’s getting bigger. She won’t need us as much.”

“She’ll ALWAYS need us,” Kara said. “No matter how old she gets, no matter how far away she lives, she can always use her moms.”

“I know,” Lena said gently. “And I know that no matter what, we’ll always be there for her, too. Her and Lily.”

“Number one since day one,” Kara said, reaching out to stroke Allie’s hair. 

“Always,” Lena whispered. “They’ll always be our priority, and we will always, always, ALWAYS love them more than anything. No matter how big they get, no matter where they go, they’ll always be our little girls.”


	49. Family Legacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara get a call from Allie's school, bringing up some fears for Lena about traits their daughter may have inherited from her side of the family.

Even in their limited time as parents, Kara and Lena knew that there were a few phrases that no parent EVER wants to hear. And one of those phrases was a call from the child’s teacher saying, “You need to come to the school, there’s been an issue with your daughter.”

Kara got the dreaded call just as she had FINALLY gotten Lily down for her first nap of the day. Lily had been fussy all morning, and it had taken over an hour of rocking, singing, swaying, and even floating to get her down. Kara’s cell phone rang just after she set the baby in the crib. 

“Mrs. Danvers? This is Ms. Chau, from the Chinese Academy.” Allie had started at the Chinese immersion preschool only two weeks before. “We’ve had a pretty major issue with Allie today.”

“An issue?” Kara asked bewilderedly. They RARELY had any major problems with Allie. Sure, they dealt with the minor issues that all parents of toddlers encountered: picky eating, temper tantrums and meltdowns, refusal to listen to directions, some minor jealousy of her baby sister. But other than these few blips from time to time, especially when she was hungry, tired, or attention-starved, Allie was typically a sunny, friendly little girl who made friends easily and was truly a joy to be around. 

“I’m afraid so,” Ms. Chau said. “We think that Allie is bullying or intimidating the other children. We caught her hitting Connor and then demanding a toy truck he was playing with this morning.”

“Oh, God…” Kara muttered. 

“We know she only just turned three, but you must understand that this behavior is unacceptable. She refuses to tell us anything about what happened. We have her in the office right now.”

Kara felt the blood draining from her face. “Do you need me to come get her, or…” She silently prayed that they weren’t going to kick Allie out of the preschool; they were paying far, far too much money for her to be expelled two weeks after starting. Would this stay on her permanent record? Did three-year-olds even HAVE a permanent record? 

“We would like to meet with you and your wife as soon as you can get here. Mrs. Luthor said she could arrive in 20 minutes.”

Oh, Rao, they had already called Lena. Kara could only imagine what HER reaction was. While Kara’s immediate reaction was bewilderment and, she had to admit, embarrassment, she would wager that Lena was PISSED. Probably at the school, possibly at Allie. Kara was already dreading the meeting. 

“I’ll be on my way shortly,” Kara said. She sighed- this was going to be awful. 

She grudgingly took Lily from her crib and strapped her into the Ergo carrier against her chest. Kara broke one of Lena’s major ground rules- no flying with babies- and quickly took off to the preschool, snugly holding Lily to her. She landed near a tree and spent a few minutes bouncing Lily to try to coax her back asleep. Lily grumbled a bit but was blessedly able to fall back asleep; the last thing they needed on top of it all was a screaming baby.

When Kara arrived at the school, Lena was already in the principal’s office, sitting in a chair with one leg crossed over the other. And Kara was right- Lena was NOT happy. She was outwardly calm, cool, and collected, but she had one tell that showed how truly angry she was: a vein in her forehead was pulsing dangerously. 

“What the hell is going on?” Kara asked in a whisper, slowly rubbing Lily’s back to try to keep her sleeping. 

“I don’t know,” Lena said shortly. “But I aim to find out.”

The door opened behind them, and they saw Ms. Chau escorting Allie in by the hand. Allie’s face was red and tear-stained, and her hair was a mess of dark curls, a stark contrast from the smooth pigtails Lena had styled it in that morning. Despite the tears, the expression she wore was exactly a miniature’s of Lena’s. Her chin jutted out at a determined angle, and she stuck her bottom lip out angrily. Even at just three years old, it was clear that Alura Luthor-Danvers was not going down without a fight. 

“Allie,” Ms. Chau said coaxingly. “Now that your moms are here, do you want to tell us why you hit Connor and took the truck from him?”

Allie looked down and shuffled her feet. 

“Allie,” Kara said in a firm voice. 

Allie looked up at her moms, and her resolve cracked. Her eyes filled with tears, and her lip began wobbling. Kara felt bad for her tone; she knew that it had hurt her daughter. She wanted nothing more than to take her little girl in her arms and comfort her, to let her know that it was all going to be fine. 

Kara used a softer voice. “Sweetie, remember how we told you that it’s important to tell the truth? If you tell us what really happened, we can maybe try to work it out. It’ll all be okay. But you need to be honest with me, Mommy, and Ms. Chau. Okay?”

Allie bit her lip and nodded, but still shuffled her feet uncomfortably. 

Lena finally broke her silence. “Come here.” She motioned for Allie to join her. Allie looked up at Ms. Chau, who nodded at her to go to her mother. Allie climbed on Lena’s lap, stuck her thumb in her mouth, and laid her head against Lena’s chest. 

Lena gently removed Allie’s thumb from her mouth and clutched it, rubbing it soothingly. “Can you please tell us what happened?”

Allie buried her head in Lena’s neck and muttered something. Lena gently sat Allie up. “What was that? You need to speak up, darling.”

“Connor was mean,” Allie said. “He hit Stella and took her truck. He made her cry. I told him to give it back and he said no.” 

Kara and Lena shared a look; Allie hadn’t actually been bullying the little boy, she had been reacting to HIS bullying of her friend. 

“Is it true that you hit Connor?” Kara asked gently.

Allie nodded. “He hit first.”

“I know,” Kara said. “That wasn’t nice of him. But just because he hit doesn’t mean that YOU should hit, too. Whenever you see someone acting in a way that isn’t nice, you need to go find a grown-up.”

“Supergirl hits,” Allie said glumly, sticking out her lip. Kara and Lena exchanged another look. 

“You’re not Supergirl,” Lena said. “Supergirl is an adult, and you’re a child. Children need to get adults when they have a problem. You could have gotten a teacher to talk to Connor.”

“And Supergirl doesn’t like to hit,” Kara added. “She likes to solve problems by talking first. Supergirl solves grown up problems. Kid problems should never be solved by hitting, kicking, or biting. Kid problems can all be solved by talking to each other and by getting an adult to help.” With one hand still gently rubbing Lily’s back, Kara reached out the other to clasp Allie’s small hand in her own. She rubbed soothingly circles onto it with her thumb.

Allie leaned back against Lena’s shoulder. “I didn’t like seeing Stella cry. I wanted to help.”

Lena smoothed Allie’s messy hair. “I know, baby,” she said softly. “But you need to learn that there are better ways to help than hurting others.”

Ms. Chau cleared her voice gently. “Sorry to interrupt, I know you all were having a moment, but… are you telling the truth, Allie? Did Connor take Stella’s truck first?”

Thumb back in her mouth, Allie nodded.

“We’ll speak with Connor,” Ms. Chau said with a nod. “But you do understand that you can’t hit other children, even if they hit first? If this happens again, you need to get a teacher to help.”

Allie nodded. 

“We won’t give you a lightning bolt for this,” Ms. Chau said, referring to the school’s behavior system of cloud, raindrop, lightning bolt for misbehaving students. “But if it happens again, we will, okay?” 

Allie nodded again. 

Ms. Chau smiled at Lena and Kara. “I’ll let you all handle the rest at home. Will she be going back to class or are you going to be taking her home for the day?”

“We’ll take her home,” Lena said softly. 

They walked out together, and Lena still had a strange air about her that Kara couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t anger, not anymore, but something else. Kara placed a gentle hand at her elbow. 

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“No,” Lena said simply. Kara had the feeling this was going to be a tricky one to sort out.

Kara looked at Allie. Her thumb was back in her mouth, and she looked wide-eyed, confused, and a bit scared. Kara gave her a wink and a smile. “Hey, everything’s going to be okay,” she said gently, bending over to give Allie a kiss on the cheek. Allie simply buried her head in Lena’s neck and shoulder. 

They walked to the car in silence. Lena put Allie in her car seat while Kara transferred Lily into hers; the movement finally jostled her awake, and the poor baby screamed the whole ride home. 

The elevator ride to their penthouse apartment after Lena parked the car was a strange experience; Lena was still acting strangely, Allie seemed slightly terrified (which Kara planned to address the second they got home), and Lily had worked herself up into a red, tear-soaked exhausted mess.

Lena and Kara switched children when they got back inside. Lena took Lily to her room that she could hopefully calm her down with a nursing session and get her back to sleep, and Kara took Allie and sat down on the couch with her nestled in her lap. Allie let out a little whimper, and Kara noticed that her eyes were filled with tears.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Kara asked, reaching out to tuck Allie’s hair behind her ear. 

Allie completely broke down. “Mommy’s mad at me,” she cried. 

“No, no,” Kara said soothingly. “Mommy’s not mad at you. We need to talk about hitting others, but Mommy isn’t mad about that.”

Allie still cried into Kara’s shoulder. Kara tried to comfort her however she could; making soft “shhhhhhhhhh-ing” sounds in her ear, rubbing her back, singing Kryptonian lullabies softly to her. After a few minutes, Allie was so exhausted by the events of the day (and it was close to her nap time) that she fell fast asleep. Kara gently carried her to her room, took her shoes off, and tucked her into her bed, placing a kiss on her forehead as she turned on the white noise machine and closed the door gently. 

Lena came out of Lily’s room as Kara was coming out of Allie’s, still buttoning up her blouse. 

“Is she down?” Kara whispered as they walked back into the living room.

“Mmmhm,” Lena said. “Fed on both sides and was out like a light.”

“Allie fell asleep, too,” Kara said. “I think it may be a two-hour nap day.” The two of them moved to the couch and sat down. Lena didn’t seem furious anymore, but she seemed strained. 

“Hey, come here,” Kara said. She patted her lap, and Lena shuffled over and climbed into her lap. Kara held her wife gently, carding her fingers through her hair soothingly. Lena lay her head on Kara’s shoulder and sighed. 

“You’re not mad anymore, are you?” Kara asked, placing a kiss on Lena’s forehead. “Allie was afraid that you were mad at her.”

“Oh, SHIT,” Lena said. Her face crumpled and her eyes filled with tears. “That’s not… that’s the last thing I wanted.”

“Shhhhh, it’s okay,” Kara said, feeling Lena’s tears falling onto her neck. “For now she’s asleep and safe. Everything is okay.”

“I’m not mad at her, not at all,” Lena said. 

“We’ll talk with her about hitting when she wakes up,” Kara said with certainty. “We really need to run home that you solve problems with words, not fists. We can’t deny that she’s protective, though. She comes by that honest, from both of us. And Alex, Eliza, J’onn, James… she had no chance of NOT being protective.”

“I know,” Lena said. “It’s just that, when Ms. Chau called and said that she had bullied another student, I felt like… I panicked a bit.”

“Why?” Kara asked, sensing that there was a deep history behind Lena’s behavior. 

“Lex bullied other children,” Lena said simply. “If he didn’t get what he wanted, he wasn’t above pushing, punching, the whole lot.” She sniffed. “I was afraid that… well, I was afraid that she may be a Luthor after all.”

Kara leaned over to give Lena another kiss. “She’s not THAT kind of Luthor,” she said with certainly. “She’s got all of the best parts of the Luthors without any of the bad. She’s so, so smart… crazy smart. And she’s fearless, and she doesn’t ever give up. She knows what she wants and when she wants it. She’s all the best parts of YOU, and all the best parts of me. I mean, where do you think that protectiveness came from?” Kara added with a laugh, managing to get a small laugh out of Lena, too. “She’s not your family, Lena. She’s better than Lex, and Lillian, and even Lionel. She’s not a Luthor, she’s a Luthor-Danvers. She’s no one but herself.”

“I know,” Lena said softly. “Logically, I know that, but I still worry.”

“You’re her mommy, your job is to worry about her,” Kara said, making Lena laugh. “She’s going to turn out just fine. Lily, too.”

“I know.”

“We have two great kids,” Kara said. “And they’re great not just because they’re that way naturally, but because they’ve never known anything but love, and nurturing, and kindness. They have a much different childhood than you, Lena,” Kara said, giving Lena a kiss. “They have a great life, and they’re going to be great people. I can promise you that.”

“Good,” Lena said. 

They stayed together for a few more minutes, finding comfort in the other’s presence. 

Kara finally broke the silence. “The question is, do you want to take advantage of the girls both taking a nap at the same time?” Kara asked, waggling her eyebrows up and down. 

Lena snorted. “We had sex last night, if you remember.”

“I wasn’t talking about SEX!” Kara exclaimed (although she wouldn’t have said no if Lena offered). “I was talking about some good old-fashioned CUDDLING.”

Lena laughed. “Okay, Mrs. Danvers, I’ll take you up on some good cuddling. But I get to be big spoon this time.”

Kara pouted. “But I wanted to be big spoon.”

“You’re literally ALWAYS big spoon,” Lena said. “Let someone else have a chance at it for a change. But either way, I think it’s time that you took me to bed.”

Kara picked her up with a flourish and carried her to their bed. They both knew that Lena would always be plagued with doubts from time to time, but in that moment, all was well in their world.


	50. Breaking the Barrier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena begin breaking barriers around one another as they grow more comfortable in their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a quick and funny chapter that's loosely based on this funny YouTube skit that I saw several years back. It made me laugh and always stuck with me, and I thought it might be funny to put Kara and Lena in the situation. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_zS-3ofyo8

Lena couldn’t think of any place that she would rather be than where she was at that exact moment: in Kara’s apartment, on Kara’s couch, nestled so close beside Kara that she was practically on her lap, under one of Kara’s fluffiest blankets, watching classic Disney movies. 

Kara had been appalled to learn that Lena had never seen any of what were, in her opinion, a vital part of the human existence. In the five weeks since they’d started dating, each weekend they worked their way through a couple of movies: first Cinderella, then Snow White, then Dumbo (which made Kara cry), the Fox and the Hound (which made Kara cry even harder), and then Bambi (Kara was a total blubbering mess by the end). Lena had finally asked her to pick a movie that was a little happier, and she had settled on Mary Poppins. Kara knew all the words to all the songs, of course, and Lena was enjoying watching Kara sing along to the music (she had an amazing voice and Lena couldn’t get enough of it) as much as she was watching the movie itself. 

It had gotten a little warm under the blanket, so Lena moved to adjust it from around her chest to around her waist. However, when she lifted up the blanket, she was greeted by a terrible, horrible, FOUL smell. It was like all the rotten eggs in the world had been baking under that blanket for several hours. 

“Oh, God, what is that?” she said, gagging slightly at the smell and fanning it away from her face. “Did a mouse die in your couch? Or did you drop some food down into the cushions and it started rotting?”

“I don’t smell anything.”

“How could you not smell that?” Lena asked. “It’s awful.”

“You’re imagining things,” Kara said, but Lena caught the blush creeping up her neck to her face. 

“Wait…” she said, realization dawning on her. “Was that YOU? Kara Danvers, did you FART?”

“No,” Kara said, her blush deepening. 

Lena immediately called her bluff. “Yes you did!” She started laughing, but then started cough-gagging due to the smell. “Oh my gosh, that’s terrible!” She lifted the blanket and started fanning it, trying to dissipate the smell. “Oh, shit, that’s making it worse.”

“How do we know it wasn’t you?” Kara asked, her face beet red by this point. “What’s the saying? ‘She who smelt it dealt it?’”

“That sure as hell was NOT me!” Lena said, walking over to the kitchen to get air freshener that was under the sink. “Haven’t you heard? Luthors don’t pass gas.”

“Oh, sure,” Kara said. “Just like Luthors don’t poop. Don’t think I can’t hear you over the shower running, the sink running, and the fan going.”

Lena gasped- she had forgotten about super hearing! “You wouldn’t dare-“

“Oh, I would,” Kara said, her blush still present but a mischievous smile on her face. “Breaking News- Celebrities: They’re Just Like You! Lena Luthor’s Massive Dumps.”

“Shut up!” Lena said, spraying some of the air freshener in Kara’s face as retaliation.

“Hey!” Kara said, waving the mist out of her eyes. Then SHE started cough-gagging. “Oh, Rao, Lena I think the air freshener made it even worse.”

Lena’s eyes were watering from the smell, but she started laughing. “Oh, Kara, that is BAD.”

“I’m really sorry, babe,” Kara said, finally owning up to it. “Winn and I got tacos for lunch,” she added as an explanation.

“Did you go to the taco shop from hell?” Lena asked. “That was SO bad.”

“I may have eaten 25 tacos,” Kara admitted. “I tried every meat and vegetarian option they offered. I guess it didn’t all mix well.”

“That’s an understatement!” Lena exclaimed. “Please promise me you’ll never go there again… or if you do, stick to a reasonable amount of tacos. Like 3.”

“I promise,” Kara said with a sigh. 

The smell had finally dissipated enough for them to sit back on the couch together. Lena nestled back into Kara’s embrace, immediately forgiving. 

“You know, I didn’t even know that you COULD fart,” Lena said. “I assumed that… well, all of that would work different than us.”

“Nope,” Kara said. “I have the same basic bodily functions as humans do.”

“Do you get periods?” Lena asked. Kara hadn’t had a period since they’d been together that Lena knew of, and if she had escaped the horror that were periods, Lena was going to be pissed.

“I do,” Kara said. “But my cycles a little different than humans’. 60 days instead of 28, and it only lasts 3 days.”

“You’re going to tell me it’s very light and that you don’t get cramps, aren’t you?” Lena said jealously. 

“Yep,” Kara said smugly.

“I hate you,” Lena grumbled, but still burrowed herself closer into Kara’s embrace. 

“I’m glad that we’re having this conversation,” Kara said suddenly. “It’s like we’ve broken a barrier or something.”

“What do you mean?” Lena asked. 

“Like, it’s all out in the open now,” Kara said. “We know that we both fart, and poop, and get periods. You can stop running the fan and all the sinks whenever you need to go to the bathroom, I can stop flying home or to Alex’s every time I need to go”- 

“You FLY HOME whenever you need to poop?”

“Maybe…”

Lena rolled her eyes but let Kara continue.

“We can just be open about it. You know, breaking the barrier.”

“Breaking the barrier, huh?”

“Yeah. It’s cool, right?”

“Hmmmm….” Lena said, as if in thought. Suddenly, although it was quite silent, Kara felt the couch beside her vibrate. 

She wrinkled her nose. “Did you just fart?”

“We broke the barrier, right?” Lena said, lifting her eyebrow in a way that made Kara swoon all over, despite what had taken place just seconds before. 

For the next week, whenever they were alone, Lena was almost constantly breaking the barrier: in the car, in the private elevator, in the shower, even in bed (when she pulled the covers over Kara’s head and called out “Dutch Oven!”). Each time she did, she slyly looked at Kara and simply said “Barrier!”

Finally, Kara conceded defeat. “Okay,” she said. “Let’s just say that we’re comfortable enough around each other to act completely and totally natural, no holds barred. Just please, please, pretty please, no more ‘Barrier,’ okay?”

Lena raised her eyebrow but gave Kara a sweet “As you wish, darling,” and true to her word, everything between them went back to natural… er, normal. 

Because while the Barrier incident had been a fun little prank, Lena admitted that it felt like such a relief that she was comfortable around Kara. She could be herself in so many different ways. Kara gave her that in a way that no one else had before. 

(Although still, years later, it wasn’t uncommon to hear one of them call out or mouth “Barrier!” and for the other to snort in response, continually reaffirming how comfortable they were with another- and how, even at their most base and au natural, they loved each other, no matter what).


	51. Lazy Saturday, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another lazy Saturday morning in the Luthor-Danvers household. Pure domestic bliss and fluff. Need I say more?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this stuff, you love this stuff, so here ya go! Have your dentist on speed-dial, cause you're teeth are going to rot from all the fluff and sweetness.

Kara woke up to two wonderful, simultaneous phenomena: soft kisses being pressed to the bare skin of her shoulder, and the gentle rub of her wife’s nipples against her back as Lena continued moving her kisses downward. 

Kara sighed contentedly. “Morning,” she whispered sleepily. “I’m surprised you’re up. I thought I wore you out last night.”

“You did,” Lena said softly as she sucked at a spot on Kara’s shoulder. She let it go with a soft pop. “But you forget, I have a baby that needs to be fed, and hungry babies don’t pay attention to exhaustion.”

“I don’t forget,” Kara set, gently turning in Lena’s arms to face her. “How could I forget? She’s the reason that I don’t get to have THESE” -she grabbed both of Lena’s breasts and gave them a gentle squeeze, rubbing her thumbs across the nipples- “all to myself.” At eight months old Lily was finally sleeping in her own room at night, but the past week she had been teething and up frequently throughout the night in pain and wanting to comfort nurse. Lena hadn’t let Kara anywhere near her breasts in over a week due to a double whammy of sensitivity from suddenly being used more frequently and from being used as her daughter’s teething ring. Due to a tired and in-pain baby, a tired and sensitive mother (Lena) and a tired and horny mother (Kara), it had not been a fun time in the Luthor-Danvers household.

Lena laughed, but carefully removed Kara’s hands. “Be gentle. You did a number on them last night, and they’re still kind of sensitive.”

Kara laughed but removed her hands, wrapping them around Lena’s slim waist instead. “Lily didn’t bite you again, did she?”

“Twice,” Lena grumbled. “I think she’s just trying to test them out and I’m her unwitting test subject.”

Kara let out a little giggle. “I’m sorry, but it is kind of funny.”

Lena reached her head back and looked Kara in the eye, arching an eyebrow. “Oh, it’s funny, is it? How about I bite the hell out of YOUR nipple, and you see how that feels?” She bent down and pretended to bite at Kara’s boobs, causing her wife to burst into laughter and try to squirm away. 

“No, no, I believe you, I believe you!” Kara said, laughing. 

Lena was laughing, too. She relaxed into Kara’s embrace. “Last night was fun,” she said. 

“Sex with you is always fun,” Kara replied with a smile. 

“I know,” Lena said, winking. “But last night was REALLY fun. We haven’t been able to go that slow in a while. I like slow.”

“I like slow, too,” Kara said. “It reminds me of how things used to be, before the girls.”

“Mmmmm,” Lena hummed in agreement. “I love them more than life itself, but they do make having sex tricky.”

Kara and Lena loved their daughters more than ANYTHING, but having children had thrown a bit of a wrench in their sex life. Gone were the sunny Saturdays with endless sex in bed, followed by breakfast and a shower (with more sex), and then watching tv on the couch (followed by more sex), before dinner and then back to bed (with a last round of sex). Sex was a hot commodity these days, more of a “catch it, grab it, and run with it” situation. It was either carefully planned, or totally spontaneous. Alex and Jess offered to watch the girls for the evening? Sex. Allie was at preschool and Lily was at the DEO daycare? Supergirl showed up at Lena’s L Corp office and they had a quickie in her en-suite bathroom. Lena had to get up at 5:00 am for an early conference call? Kara got up with her and they had sex in the shower (as much as Kara hated early mornings, sometimes you had to do what you had to do). They didn’t often wake up in a lazy, naked stupor next to each other, either. These days, sex was more often about hands hastily shoved down the front of slacks, underwear and pantyhose quickly pulled down to mid-thigh while skirts were hoisted up to the waist, or even trying to make by with grinding against each other’s thighs when they didn’t have time to remove clothes. It was quick, and often messy, and led to complaints from Lena about having to spend all day in ruined underwear, but it kept them mostly satisfied and smiling, all things considered. 

But mornings like these, where they had long, gentle sex the night before and woke up naked next to each other (Lena HAD put on pajamas to feed the baby, but took them off when she returned to bed) were so, so intoxicatingly wonderful. 

Kara leaned forward to place kisses to Lena’s lips. Lena kissed back, and reading the heat in her kisses, Kara whispered, “Think we have time for another round?”

Just before Lena answered, someone else made the decision for them. “Moooooooooooooooommmmyyyyyyyyy!”came the loud cry from Allie’s room down the hall. 

Lena sighed. “I guess that’s a no.”

Kara groaned and looked at the clock. It was just after 6:30. “Why is she so hard to wake up on the weekdays but is up at the crack of dawn on the weekends?”

Lena gave Kara a kiss on the cheek. “Because she’s a toddler, darling. Toddlers are very contradictory creatures.”

Lena climbed out of bed and put her tank top and sleep shorts back on. She grabbed Kara’s sleep shirt from where it was lying on the floor and tossed it at her face. “Put some clothes on and change the sheets. I’m going to bring her in here and see if she’ll sleep a little longer.” Allie could usually fall back asleep for another hour or so if she was in bed with Kara and Lena. 

Kara smiled as she tugged the shirt over the head, then found her pajama bottoms somewhere on the other side of the room. She used her superspeed to put clean sheets on the bed, and by the time Lena came back a few minutes later, Kara was back in bed waiting for them.

Lena was carrying a sleepy-looking Allie. Allie’s feet were wrapped tightly around Lena’s waist, her hands were clasped around Lena’s neck, and the two of them were exchanging kisses and whispers. The sight of her wife tenderly carrying their daughters, as if they were the most precious things in the world (because they were), giving them soft words and even softer kisses, never failed to cause Kara’s heart to grow, and usually made her tear up a bit. Scenes like this were something she never thought that she would have. They were something that Lena never thought she would have, either; they would never take these tender moments for granted.

Lena climbed back in bed with Allie. Allie immediately crawled in Kara’s lap. 

“Good morning, Baby Bear,” Kara said, giving Allie a soft kiss hello. “Did you sleep good?”

“Mmmmhmmm,” Allie said with a yawn. 

“I think you’re still a sleepy bear,” Kara said. “Do you want to go back to sleep for a little bit?”

“Uh huh,” Allie answered, sticking her thumb in her mouth. 

“Okay, we’ll go back to sleep,” Kara said. She scooted to a laying down position so and Allie nestled herself so that she was lying against Kara’s chest. “Do you want to sleep on me or be beside me in a Mama sandwich?” she asked. 

“You,” Allie whispered. “Soft.”

“I’m soft?” Kara whispered back.

“Uh-huh. Like a big pillow.”

Kara caught Lena’s eye and winked. The Girl of Steel, soft? Who ever would have guessed? 

“Okay, I’ll be a Mama Pillow for you,” Kara said. 

Allie nestled her head against one of Kara’s breasts and clung to the collar of her shirt, just like she always did when sleeping on one of her mother’s. Kara breathed in and out in a deep, soothing pattern to try to lull Allie to sleep. Allie gently sucked her thumb and was asleep within two minutes. 

Lena carefully reached out to take her thumb out of her mouth, but as soon as it was out, almost subconsciously, Allie stuck it right back in. Kara giggled. 

“We really do need to break that habit,” Lena whispered with a sigh. “It can mess up her teeth.”

“I know,” Kara said. They’d been discussing getting Allie to stop sucking her thumb for over two months, but every time they were ready to start the process, something came up: she got sick and it was comforting to her; she started a new school; Lena went on a business trip and Allie missed her; when Kara simply said “Look how sweet she is!” when she fell asleep sucking her thumb in Jonn’s arms on a trip to the zoo. 

“She gets it from me, I’m afraid,” Lena said. 

“Really?” Kara asked. 

“Mmmmhmm,” Lena answered, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Allie’s ear. “Gosh, some of my earliest memories are of my mother reading me a bedtime story in the rocking chair in my room at our house back in Ireland. She would read and I would suck my thumb, she would take it out and I would put it back in. We made a game of it, and we’d both end up in a fit of giggles by the end. I think I was just about to stop when she died, but it got bad again right after that. When I came to the Luthors, my thumb never left my mouth. It drove Lillian to distraction; ‘You are NOT a baby,’ she’d say. ‘You will NOT act like one.’ She tried everything to get me to stop- painted my thumb with a foul-tasting polish, soaked it in hot sauce, told me my thumb would rot off. Nothing helped until she got a wrist brace and told me that if I tried to suck my thumb when I was wearing it, it would break my wrist and all my fingers. I believed her; I never once sucked my thumb again. She made me wear it until I was 10.”

“Oh, Lena,” Kara said. “I never knew. I’m so sorry that happened.”

“It’s really fine,” Lena said with a smile to reassure Kara, even though she knew it was not fine at all. “We’ll do it a better way with Allie. Use a sticker chart or something like we did with potty training.”

“Mmmmmm,” Kara said in quiet agreement. Kara and Lena would do so many things in different and better ways when it came to raising their own daughters.

They both dozed off soon afterwards.

Lena slept for another hour and a half before Lily’s cry woke her up. She got up and brought Lily into bed with them, too. By the time she came back, Streaky had come into the room and was laying in a sunbeam at the foot of the bed.

She sat up in bed and fed Lily, stroking the little hand that clutched at her tank top strap and brushing back the straight, dark hair, so much like her own. As exhausting and as difficult as breastfeeding could be, she wouldn’t give it up for anything. She would go through it all- the sleepless nights, clogged ducts, mastitis, teething, cluster feeding, comfort feeding, dream feeding, endless pumping- for moments like this: a still sleepy baby warm and safe in her arms, getting the best nourishment and comfort that only she was able to provide. She didn’t know how much longer they would be keeping this up; she wanted to make it to a year, and then, like she did with Allie, let Lily decide how much longer they would go (to a certain degree- she was dead-set on weaning by 18 months, but as with all things when it came to their girls, it was still a “wait and see” situation). 

Lena relished these special moments because she knew that they would be her last. They were done after Lily, she and Kara had already decided it. Kara had wanted to try to carry a baby, but Alex had run a battery of tests and determined that a pregnancy wouldn’t be viable on Earth in Kara’s uterus. It was too strong; it would crush the baby before it got a chance to grow. Kara was understandably upset by the results, as she had wanted to carry and nurse a baby like Lena had gotten to do. But that night, Lena had held her as she cried, and reassured her that she was no less of a mother than Lena just because their girls hadn’t grown in her womb. They did more talking, and more soul searching, even discussing adoption, but in the end they knew that their family, their two girls, was perfect for them. 

When Lily had fed on both sides, she was ready to be up for the day. She crawled over to her favorite person on the planet, her big sister, and grabbed her nose, wanting her to wake up. 

“Don’t do that, Lily!” Lena said in a whisper. 

Allie was up, but thankfully she started giggling instead of wailing (it would have been one or the other). “Lily got my nose, Mommy!” she said.

Kara, by this point also awake, sat up and pulled both girls into her lap. 

“Look who came and joined us! Hi, Silly Lily!” She bent down and blew a raspberry kiss into the fat rolls at Lily’s neck, causing the baby to giggle with delight. 

“Can I do it, too?” Allie asked.  
“Yep!” Kara said. “Just give her a kiss right here”- Kara pointed at a spot on Lily’s neck- “and then… blow!” 

Allie did as Kara showed her, and Lily squealed in delight. She had the most wonderful, innocent laugh; their daughters’ laughs were Kara and Lena’s favorite sounds. 

Kara suddenly picked Allie up and blew a raspberry on her stomach where her nightshirt had rode up, causing Allie to dissolve into happy squeals. 

“Mama that TICKLES!” 

“I know, that’s why I’m doing it!” Kara said, moving to blow a raspberry on Allie’s neck. 

“You’re silly, Mama!” Allie laughed. 

“She is, isn’t she?” Lena said, delighting in the sight of all three of her favorite girls having fun together. 

“But you’re silly, too, Mommy,” Allie said. She suddenly moved over to sit in Lena’s lap. “Do the egg thing.”

“The egg thing?” Lena asked, puzzled. 

“Yeah, crack an egg on my head.”

Lena smiled. “Oh, THAT egg thing!” 

She gently bumped her fist on Allie’s head and said “Crack an egg on your head and let the yolk drip down-“ she moved her fingers gently down Allie’s back, causing her to shiver- “let the yolk drip down, let the yolk drip down.” She squeezed Allie’s shoulders gently. “Squeeze an orange on your shoulders and let the juice drip down, let the juice drip down, let the juice drip down.” She omitted the last line- “Stab a knife your back and let the blood run down-“ and substituted “Squish a tomato on your back and let the pulp run down, let the pulp run down, let the pulp run down. Cool breeze”- she breathed on the back of Allie’s neck, causing more shivers- “tight squeeze-“ she gave her a big hug- “Chills, ALL DOWN YOUR BACK!” she ran the fingers of both hands up and down Allie’s back, causing another fit of giggles.

“Again, again!” Allie said. Lena relented and did it a couple of more times before Allie dissolved into a limp, happy pile on her lap. Lena rubbed her back gently. 

“Where’d you learn that?” Kara asked. “Is that a common Earth thing?”

 “I learned it from Lex, oddly enough,” Lena said. “Lillian did it for him when he was small. She never did it to me, obviously, but he did. His favorite was always the stab a knife in your back line. He always did that one twice,” she said with an eye roll. 

“Of course,” Kara said, rolling her eyes, too. She looked down at Allie, who had crawled beside Streaky and was laying in the sunbeam with him, sighing happily. 

“I like the sun,” she said simply. 

“I appear to have given birth to a plant,” Lena said with a snort. “And married one,” she added, looking at Kara, who had removed her foot from the blanket and was trying to catch the sunbeam on it. 

“Hey, I can’t help that the yellow sun makes me strong.”

“Huh,” Lena said suddenly. “Do you think that has something to do with it? The Kryptonian genes?”

“Maybe,” Kara said. “They do love being outside, but I thought that was just because they were kids.”

“Who knows,” Lena said. “It’ll be interesting to see how- or even IF- their Kryptonian side comes out.”

They had allowed Alex to run a few tests on Allie (Allie was rewarded with lots of ice cream afterwards) and as far as she could tell, right now, both Allie and Lily were typical human children with no signs of powers. They were of average strength, Allie was of above average speed (the kid could MOVE) but not super-speed levels, and they could catch human illnesses, as evidenced by the week the month before when Allie, Lily, AND Lena all came down with a nasty cold, followed immediately by pink eye that Allie brought home from preschool. It was a long week, especially for Kara, who had to take care of all of them (Lena Luthor, when sick, was especially high maintenance). Lena had admitted to Kara that she wouldn’t mind if neither showed any sort of powers. It would cause her mother’s heart to worry just a little less. Kara, while not wanting to burden either of them with the Supergirl mantle once she retired (and she DID plan to retire someday- Lena had made her promise), had always dreamed of flying beside them, sparring together as equals, and (she would NEVER tell Lena) maybe even fighting alongside them someday. Clark’s powers hadn’t manifested until he hit puberty, and Alex theorized that if the girls were to develop powers, that may be when it happened. Clark and Lois’s boys were a bit older than Allie and Lily, so they were waiting to see what would happen with them, but Jon, the eldest, was only eight, so they were still a few years from learning anything. 

“That’s just awesome,” Lena had said sarcastically when Alex told them her theory. “As if middle school wasn’t bad enough. We’ll be dealing with friendship drama, changing bodies, bra shopping, acne, body odor, periods AND superpowers. Lucky us. AND we get it times two.” But for both Lena and Kara, the trials and tribulations that were to come were totally worth it. 

“So…” Lena said, catching the attention of all her girls. “Who wants breakfast?”

“Me! Me!” Allie and Kara both said at once. 

“That’s what I thought,” Lena said with a smile. “How does pancakes sound?”

“Yum!” Allie said. “Can I have chocolate chips in mine?” she asked hopefully. Lena often didn’t let her have too much sugar in the morning. 

“Yep,” Lena said with a wink and smile. “You absolutely can! Chocolate chip pancakes, even me!”

“YAY!” Allie said, taking off for the kitchen like a bat out of hell. 

Kara laughed as she picked up Lily to carry her to the kitchen. “Any reason you’re giving in to chocolate too?”

“It’s a special day,” Lena said. “Everyone deserves a treat on a special day, even us health freaks.”

Kara leaned over to give her a kiss. “This has been the best morning in a while. I love days like this. Just me and my girls.”

“Best day ever,” Lena said. “And we get to have more, and more, and more.”

Things would change, they knew that. Their girls would grow up, they would get older. But no matter what happened, no matter where life took them, they would always be a family, and they would always, always, always love each other, no matter what.

**Author's Note:**

> I made a tumblr if anyone is interested: https://icedragon822.tumblr.com/


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